Dundee-Crown High grad Court among nonroster invitees to Cubs spring training
There will be a strong local flavor among veteran nonroster invitees to Cubs spring training.
The club Wednesday finally announced its list of players who will be in big-league camp on minor-league contracts, and it's a big list of 27 players, including veterans and prospects from the minor-league system.
Infielder Ryan Court, a graduate of Dundee-Crown High School, is back in camp for a second straight year. Court, 30, had hoped to make his major-league debut with the Cubs last year, but a slow start at Class AAA Iowa hurt his chances.
Right-handed reliever Rob Scahill, who pitched in 6 games for the White Sox last year, joins the Cubs on a minor-league deal. Scahill, a Sox fan during his youth, is a product of Willowbrook High School and Bradley University. He turns 32 next week.
Scahill has 124 games of major-league experience. In addition to the White Sox, he has pitched for the Rockies, Pirates and Brewers.
Another right-handed reliever, George Kontos, comes home after pitching last year with the Pirates, Indians and Yankees. Kontos, 33, graduated from Niles West High School and attended Northwestern.
Outfielder Jim Adduci returns to the Cubs organization. A graduate of Evergreen Park High School, the 33-year-old Adduci played in 59 games with the Tigers last year, hitting 3 homers. He also has parts of two seasons of credit with the Texas Rangers. Adduci whose dad, Jim, played in the big leagues, was in the Cubs system from 2007 to 2012.
Pitcher Allen Webster, who appeared in 3 games for the Cubs last year, will be in camp, as will be lefty Ian Clarkin, who spent this winter going back and forth on waivers between the Cubs and the White Sox.
The Cubs did not invite shortstop Nico Hoerner to big-league camp. Hoerner was last year's first-round draft pick out of Stanford. He will open spring training in minor-league camp.
Cubs pitchers and catchers hold their first formal workouts of spring training in Mesa, Arizona, next Wednesday. Position players hold their first formal workouts Feb. 18.