According to a report from South Korea, the Cubs have retained the rights to RHP Chang-Yong Lim and he will report to Mesa on Feb. 13 to compete for a spot in the Cubs’ pen on a non-roster invite.
The Cubs signed Chang-Yong Lim to a two-year minor league contract in December of 2012. The contract was structured with two different pay levels based on him pitching in the minors or majors. Lim spent a majority of the season recovering from his second Tommy John surgery before making his Cubs’ debut in September.
Lim pitched in 21 games over four levels in the Cubs’ system and finished his rehab stint with a 1.61 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. Lim threw strikes over 11 appearances with the I-Cubs (0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) and earned his spot on the Cubs’ big league roster.
Chang-Yong Lim had trouble throwing strikes with the Cubs, which is not uncommon, and was not offered a contract in December (non-tendered). Lim said he felt good at the end of the season and elected free agency since the Cubs appeared to cut ties with him.
Dong-Wook Kim, Lim’s agent, said earlier this month he had to take a closer look at the contract his client signed with the Cubs in December of 2012. The uniquely structured contract did not include any guaranteed money and different salary rates between the time the spent in the big league and in the minors. Kim asked the Cubs for a copy of the contract so he could figure out Lim’s options moving forward.
As it turns out, the Cubs own Lim’s rights and have invited him to Major League Spring Training. The Cubs did not add Lim to the big league roster according to reports.
The Cubs should announce the full list of players that will be in big league camp this spring on non-roster invites. Kris Bryant, Albert Almora and Javier Baez will be on the Cubs NRI list. And the inclusion of those three players will bring a little excitement early in camp and over the first two-plus weeks of the Cubs’ Cactus League schedule.
Here is an updated list of players who signed minor league deals with the Cubs that should be in Major League Spring Training as non-roster invitees (NRI) …
Pitchers
- RHP Paolo Espino
- LHP Tommy Hottovy (NRI)
- RHP Chang-Yong Lim (NRI)
- RHP Carlos Pimentel
- LHP Jonathan Sanchez (NRI)
- LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (NRI)
Catchers
- John Baker (NRI)
- Eli Whiteside (NRI)
Infielders
- Walter Ibarra
- Ryan Roberts (NRI)
- Chris Valaika (BRI)
- Jeudy Valdez
Outfielders
- Chris Coghlan (NRI)
- Aaron Cunningham (NRI)
- Ryan Kalish (NRI)
- Mitch Maier (NRI)
- Darnell McDonald (NRI)
- Casper Wells (NRI)
Players on the 40-man roster receive an automatic invite to big league camp.
Cubs’ pitchers and catchers report to Mesa on Feb. 13. The first on-field workout is scheduled to Feb. 14. Position players must be in Mesa by Feb. 18 and the first full squad workout is slated for Feb. 19.