CUBS TAKE GAMBLE ON INJURY RECLAMATION
The Chicago Cubs made a quiet but calculated move in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, selecting right-handed pitcher Adam Stone from the New York Yankees organization. While the pick didn’t impact the major league roster immediately, for Stone, the transaction is nothing short of a career lifeline.
Stone, a former undrafted free agent, has battled extreme adversity over the last two years, missing most of that time while recovering from a shoulder injury followed by Tommy John surgery.
Speaking about the unexpected change of scenery, Stone expressed palpable relief and determination. “This is exactly the fresh start I needed,” he stated. “The last two years were brutal, fighting back from surgery. I’m ready to prove myself at the highest level—this new organization gives me that clear path.”
\
FROM YANKEES INJURY TO CUBS OPPORTUNITY
The 6’6″ pitcher made his first official appearances since surgery in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a challenging 11.81 ERA but showed flashes of the potential the Yankees once saw. His selection by the Cubs is a low-risk, high-reward bet on regaining that lost velocity and command.
Because Stone was taken in the Minor League phase, the Cubs are not obligated to carry him on their 26-man roster. Instead, he will report to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, where he will have a clear runway to rebuild his arm strength and earn a look at the big league level.
The Cubs’ front office views Stone as a classic reclamation project, hoping their developmental staff can unlock the potential of a pitcher who was blocked in a Yankees organization that was forced to expose him to the draft due to roster crunch.
THE POWER OF A NEW CHANCE
For Stone, who previously pitched only 20 innings at the Single-A level in 2023, the move is a powerful injection of hope. The Yankees, after years of investing in his recovery, ultimately passed on protecting him.
Now, with the Cubs, Stone has a clean slate and a direct path to the rotation, a chance he views as his last, best shot to justify the years of grueling rehab. His desperation to succeed makes him one of the most compelling stories heading into Spring Training.
Would you like a fake news article detailing which specific Cubs pitching coach will be assigned to work on Stone’s rehabilitation, or a report on the other two players the Cubs picked in the Minor League Rule 5 Draft?
