Yevoli picked up by Cubs

Al Yevoli

Hard-throwing left-handed relief pitcher Al Yevoli became the first Wild Things player this season to join a major league organization when the Chicago Cubs purchased his contract Sunday.

This will be the second stint in affiliated ball for Yevoli, a 23-year-old native of Palm Coast, Fla. After helping Tennessee Wesleyan to the 2012 NAIA national championship, Yevoli signed with the Wild Things last year and had a super season, finishing with a 1-2 record, 2.62 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.

He was signed by the Atlanta Braves during the offseason, but was released at the end of minor-league spring training.

Yevoli re-signed with the Wild Things and got off to a dreadful start this year, struggling with location. His ERA was 33.00 after five outings.

But the lefty, whose fastball can hit 94 mph, had been spectacular of late. Over his last 14 outings, Yevoli had been scored upon only twice and had 21 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Overall, he was 1-1 with a 6.65 ERA and only four walks in 21 2/3 innings.

“The one thing I was scared about was that the first thing scouts would do is check the stats line and say this guy is not very good this year,” Yevoli said. “I hoping they would at the statistics game-by-game. I was bad early, but I’ve bene putting up zeroes lately.

“That start to the season, I can’t do anything about that. All I could do is work hard to get to where I needed to be.”

He will leave today to join the Kane County Cougars, the Cubs’ affiliate in the Class A Midwest League.

“Al came back from affiliated ball and had a rough start. It would have been easy for him to throw in the towel, but he didn’t, and in the last 15 games he’s been lights out,” Washington manager Bart Zeller said. “I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s the type of guy who could be in the big leagues in two years. That wouldn’t surprise me because he has that kind of arm.

“This is the reason why we’re here. We promised every young man that we will give them every opportunity and fight like heck for them to get a chance in affiliated ball.”

Yevoli made his last appearance Friday against Schaumburg, pitching one inning and striking out the side. Several scouts attended that game, and one from an American League team returned to Consol Energy Park both Saturday and Sunday just to see Yevoli pitch again. The Cubs, however, made a contract offer Sunday morning.

Yevoli said seeing some Class A hitters in spring training might help him at Kane County, but he knows he’s never pitched in an affiliated game before and is unsure about the difference between facing Midwest League hitters and Frontier League hitters.

“The biggest thing I learned during spring training is that I’m good enough,” he said. “I didn’t have my good stuff then, and I still competed with guys who have good stuff. I felt like I deserved to be there. Now, my arm is in shape and I’ll try to show the Cubs that they did the right thing by signing me.”