Cubs will continue to follow best available player draft strategy

Cubs scouting and player development chief Jason McLeod met the media Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

He had updates on the June 8 amateur draft as well as players the Cubs have drafted in recent years.

The Cubs will pick ninth in this year's first round. After the previous regime took shortstop Javier Baez in with its top pick in 2011, the troika of McLeod, team President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer went with center fielder Albert Almora, third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Kyle Schwarber, respectively, in the first rounds over the next three years.

The current front office went pitching heavy in subsequent rounds.

"We've never been a team, with my time with Theo and Jed, ones who draft on need or need at the major-league team," McLeod said. "We're going to go in there and pick the best player we can for the organization, not necessarily for the major-league club and the needs of the major-league club.

"We're always working to get pitching. We drafted 26 or 27 pitchers the last two years. So it has been a part of the plan, to bring inasmuch as you can. At the same time, in those top couple of rounds, we're looking for the most impact. We're going to line our board up that way.

"If the best player is a hitter, we'll pick a hitter."

Schwarber in September?

Kyle Schwarber, taken with the fourth overall pick last year, is off to a good start at Class AA Tennessee. Schwarber is learning his trade as a catcher, but the Cubs drafted him for his bat. Entering Tuesday, he had a line of .305/.440/.595 with 10 homers.

McLeod was asked if Schwarber could be a September call-up if the big-league team is in contention and could use a hitter.

"I think that's a conversation to take place," McLeod said. "A lot depends on what's happening with the major-league team. He's having a great year right now. We felt he was an impact bat last year and to step in at Double-A and what he's doing while he's catching and going into his first full season as a catcher behind the plate, we couldn't be more happy. He's controlling the zone, he's hitting for average, hitting for power.

"A lot of us believe in his ability. If the need was there to come up here and help this team win later this year, I think he could do it."

Baez doing better:

Shortstop Javier Baez is off to a good start at Class AAA Iowa. He had a tough spring training and then took time off after the death of his sister.

Baez is at .311/.388/.522 with 5 homers. The Cubs seem inclined to let him be and get into a good groove.

"He's on a really good run right now," McLeod said. "He's had a good last 5-6 games. The mindset it there. He had to deal with a lot in the off-season, from the professional level and certainly with the personal, with what took place with his family. He's in a good place right now.

"All we're concerned about right now is maintaining this, what's going on. He's certainly someone who wants to come up here and help the team. Joe (Cubs manager Maddon), Theo, we're all looking at that every single day."