Cubs option OF/C Kyle Schwarber to Triple-A Iowa … Place OF Jason Heyward on 10-Day DL … Purchase Contract of OF Mark Zagunis … Recall RHP Dylan Floro … Designate LHP Zac Rosscup for Assignment
The Cubs announced several roster moves prior to the first of four against the Marlins in Miami. As expected, OF/C Kyle Schwarber was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. To take his place on the active roster, the Cubs purchased the contract of OF Mark Zagunis, added him to the 40-man roster and called up the former third round pick from Triple-A Iowa. Zagunis batted ninth and started in right field for Joe Maddon on Thursday night.
Zagunis was issued and will wear No. 21 for his Major League debut.
The Cubs placed OF Jason Heyward on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to June 19, with a left hand abrasion. RHP Dylan Floro was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Floro is available for the series opener versus the Fish.
The Cubs’ active roster stands at 11 position players and 13 pitchers.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Zagunis, the Cubs designated LHP Zac Rosscup for assignment.
Mark Zagunis, 24, joins the first Major League roster of his professional career. He was selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2014 Draft out of Virginia Tech and has batted .275 (329-for-1,196) with a .401 on-base percentage and .842 OPS in 338 minor league games covering the last four seasons. Zagunis has recorded 78 doubles, 14 triples, 31 homers, 170 RBI and 33 stolen bases in his professional career.
The right-handed batter and thrower is hitting .249 (53-for-213) with a .399 on-base percentage, 150 points higher than his batting average, in 65 games with Iowa this season. He has 13 doubles, 11 home runs, 35 RBI, 42 runs scored and a .873 OPS. Defensively this season, Zagunis has played 52 games (50 starts) in left field and 12 games (12 starts) in right field.
Zagunis has earned All-Star honors in each of his first three pro campaigns with Low-A Boise in 2014, High-A Myrtle Beach in 2015 and Double-A Tennessee in 2016. He was a non-roster invitee to Cubs Spring Training for the first time in 2017.
Dylan Floro, 26, returns for his fourth stint with the Cubs this season. He has made two relief appearances during his previous stays with the club, posting no record and an 8.53 ERA (six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings). He allowed one earned run in 4 1/3 innings on May 9 in Colorado before being charged with five runs in 2.0 innings on May 21 in closing out a 13-6 win vs. Milwaukee. With Iowa this year, Floro has gone 2-1 with one save and a 3.48 ERA (13 earned runs in 33 2/3 innings) in 18 appearances – 16 in relief and two as a starter.
Jason Heyward, 27, is batting .258/.315/.399 (51-for-198) with six doubles, two triples, six home runs and a .714 OPS in 55 games with the Cubs this season. He injured his hand attempting a sliding catch last Sunday in Pittsburgh. It is his second stint on the disabled list this season, as he missed time last month due to a right finger sprain.
Kyle Schwarber, 24, is hitting .171/.295/.378 (38-for-222) with 10 doubles, 12 home runs and a .673 OPS in 64 games with the Cubs this season.