Bryant Promoted, Wada to Rehab with Iowa Friday
April 17, 2015 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Iowa Cubs News Release
Des Moines, IA (April 17, 2015) - The Chicago Cubs Friday purchased the contract of infielder Kris Bryant from Triple-A Iowa. Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada will begin a rehab assignment for Iowa on Friday and will be on the mound for the club's home opener against Oklahoma City. Additionally, infielder Christian Villanueva has been added to Iowa from Double-A Tennessee.
After being selected by the Cubs out of the University of San Diego, Bryant combined to hit .336 (43-for-128) with 14 doubles, two triples and nine homers in 36 games across three minor league levels that summer, culminating with a 2013 Florida State League Championship and 2013 Arizona Fall League Joe Black MVP honors after leading the league with six homers, a .457 slugging percentage and 56 total bases.
Bryant began the 2014 campaign with his first stop at Double-A and batted .355 (88-for-248) with 22 homers and 58 RBI in 68 games with Tennessee to earn a spot on the Southern League All-Star team and a promotion to Triple-A on June 19, just a little more than a year after he was drafted. He batted .295 (72-for-244) with 21 homers and 52 RBI in 70 games with Iowa. Bryant also started at third base for the U.S Team at the All-Star Futures game in Minnesota. Overall, Bryant has turned in a .327 batting average (212-for-648) with 55 homers and 152 RBI in 181 minor league games.
As a junior at San Diego, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Bryant won the 2013 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, was the Baseball America Player of the Year, the 2013 Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year and the 2013 Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year. Bryant is a native of Las Vegas and a graduate of Bonanza High School.
Wada made 19 appearances and 18 starts during the 2014 season for the I-Cubs, going 10-6 with a 2.77 ERA (35ER/113.2IP) and 120 strikeouts. The Japan native made 13 starts with Chicago as well, going 4-4 with a 3.25 ERA (25ER/69.1IP).
Villanueva split 2014 between Tennessee and Iowa. The Mexico native hit six home runs with 18 doubles in 64 games with Iowa. Villanueva was assigned to Tennessee to begin 2015, where he was 5-for-24 with two home runs and 24 RBI.
The Iowa Cubs begin the 2015 home slate with tonight's opener at Principal Park, as they begin a four-game series with the Oklahoma City Dodgers, new Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. CT. Wada (0-0, is set to start for the I-Cubs opposite Dodgers right-hander Mike Bolsinger (1-0, 0.00). The game will be broadcast live on AM 940, 104.5 FM and streamed live at iowacubs.com with the On-Deck Circle Pre-Game Show starting at 6:40 p.m. CT.
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