CHICAGO — Cubs officials are still trying to learn the exact sequence of events after prospect Jorge Soler allegedly threatened opposing players with a bat during a Class A game in Florida on Wednesday.
While not condoning Soler’s actions, several Cubs players offered sympathy to the Cuban native.
“He’s not even here a year in the States,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said prior to Thursday’s scheduled game against the Giants at Wrigley Field. “He’s got to adjust and that’s why he’s not in the big leagues, Triple-A or Double-A. He’s got to learn the ropes. Everyone makes mistakes … it’s something you learn from.”
The 21-year-old outfielder reportedly tangled at second base with Clearwater infielder Carlos Alfonso, igniting a benches-clearing brawl in the seventh inning of the minor league game with the Cubs’ Daytona affiliate.
After the field cleared Soler reportedly grabbed a bat and approached the Clearwater dugout while yelling at opposing players. He was restrained by coaches and thrown out of the game.
“He’s a young guy, first time in the United States and maybe he had a lot of pressure on himself,” Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano said. “It’s tough when you’re here by yourself here in the United States and you don’t have family or nobody. I feel sorry for him.”
Soriano said he’ll try to contact Soler in the next few days to offer support and motivation.
Cubs manager Dale Sveum said information was still being gathered.
“Anything like that is surprising,” Sveum said. “You don’t know, you weren’t there and you don’t know what sets somebody off. We don’t know all the details but it’s obviously an incident you want back.
“We’re waiting for a lot of information to come in and find out, but (team president) Theo (Epstein’s) taking care of that,” Sveum added.
A former member of Cuba’s national team and a top Cubs prospect, Soler was signed last summer to a nine-year contract reportedly worth $30 million.
He was with the Cubs in spring training before assignment to the team’s Class A affiliate in Florida.