MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

1st 2010 Draftee to Peoria

Published on July 1, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


PEORIA, IL PEORIA, IL PEORIA, IL PEORIA, IL- -- - The Peoria Chiefs and Chicago Cubs have announced that 2010 draftee and Chicagoland native Elliot Soto will join the team for Thursday's game in Kane County. Outfielder Francisco Guzman has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to Sunday June 24 with a hamstring injury.

Soto, 20, was drafted by the Cubs in the 15th round a couple of weeks ago and is the first 2010 draftee to join the Chiefs roster. He made his pro debut on Sunday and has appeared in four games for the Mesa Cubs in the Arizona Rookie League. In those contests Soto hit .375 (6-for-16) with at least one hit in each game to go along with one RBI, two steals and three runs scored. Soto played his college ball in the Missouri Valley Conference for Creighton University batting .297 as the Bluejays leadoff hitter this season. He was named first-team All-MVC in 2009 and second-team in 2010 while also being named the MVC's Best Defensive Infielder. In 202 at-bats Soto had 10 doubles, four triple, three homers and 28 RBI. He scored 52 runs in 51 games while stealing nine bases. Soto played predominately shortstop and committed just six errors for a .975 fielding percentage. Soto appeared in all three Creighton games against Bradley at O'Brien Field and was 6-for-13 (.462) with a double, triple, two RBI and five runs scored.

Soto is from the Chicago area (Algonquin, IL) and was recruited to Creighton out of Dundee Crown High School in Carpentersville, IL. He was drafted out of high school in the 13th round by the Minnesota Twins after setting a school record with a .455 batting average in 2006. He also owns Dundee Crown career records for hits, triples and on-base percentage while being named the Northwest Herald Player of the Year in 2006. Soto hit .322 as a sophomore for Creighton with seven doubles and 26 RBI in 2009. In 2008 he appeared in more Bluejays games than any other freshman hitting .272 in 50 games with 18 RBI and eight stolen bases. Soto hit .300 for his Bluejay career with 161 hits and 30 stolen bases in 157 games.

Guzman injured his hamstring in the final game of the first half on June 20 against Quad Cities. The speedy outfielder is hitting .233 with 12 RBI, 18 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 45 games this season. Before the injury, Guzman was enjoying an outstanding June with a .333 average in 16 games to go along with eight runs scored, two doubles and six RBI. Guzman's average has risen 53 points since May 31.

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