Cubs pick right-hander Parisi in Rule 5 draft

The Cubs made another foray into the Rule 5 draft Thursday, selecting right-handed pitcher Michael Parisi out of the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

Parisi, 26, appeared in 12 games with the Cardinals in 2008 before undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery. He went 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 5 starts between the Rookie-League Cardinals and Class A Palm Beach this year before impressing the Cubs in the Arizona Fall League.

"Mark Servais, one of our major-league scouts, covered his team in the fall, and he (Parisi) had a past with our minor-league (pitching) coordinator, Mark Riggins," said general manager Jim Hendry. "We just felt he fits in the mix going to camp. He's capable of starting, capable of pitching in the middle of the game, give you some innings. Rule 5 picks are like that."

Riggins was in the St. Louis organization before coming to the Cubs. Parisi has a curveball and a newly developed cutter. He must stay on the major-league roster for a full season or the Cubs risk losing him on waivers and eventually back to the Cardinals.

Last winter, the Cubs selected reliever David Patton in the Rule 5 draft. Patton had little impact out of the pen this season.

The Cubs view Parisi as a back-end rotation pitcher or a long reliever. He gives the Cubs inventory going into spring training.

Minor matters: The White Sox were quiet on the final day of the winter meetings. They lost righty Arismendy Mota to the Washington organization in the minor-league Rule 5 draft. The Cubs were expected to make a trade with the Nationals to acquire Mota. The Sox also lost right-handed pitcher John Lujan to the Mets in the minor-league Rule 5.