Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Steve Miller and why did the Cubs hire him?
Steve Miller is the former director of international scouting for the Tampa Bay Rays, a role he held since 2019 after spending 13 seasons with the organization. The Cubs poached him to upgrade an international scouting department that has struggled to acquire quality talent compared to MLB peers.
How bad has the Cubs' international scouting been compared to the Rays?
Out of 34 Cubs prospects ranked by FanGraphs, only six were international free agents, with just one being a pitcher. Meanwhile, the Rays had 62 prospects with a 35+ FV rating and 19 of those were international free agents, including five pitchers.
Which Cubs players came up through international free agency?
Javier Assad, Miguel Amaya, Daniel Palencia, Pedro Ramirez, Moises Ballesteros, and Jefferson Rojas all came through the Cubs' international free-agent pipeline with varying degrees of major league success.
Who is Jostin Florentino and what is his connection to the Cubs?
Jostin Florentino is a Cubs international free-agent signee from 2023 and the only IFA pitcher among the six Cubs prospects ranked by FanGraphs. He is currently ranked 22nd on MLB Pipeline's top-30 Cubs prospects list.
Where did Steve Miller work before joining the Tampa Bay Rays?
Before his 13 seasons with the Rays, Steve Miller spent seven seasons as a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Aldo Soto
With a journalism degree from Eastern Illinois University and a decade of Cubs reporting, my work has appeared on 670 The Score, ESPN 1000, and the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast. I cover Cubs news and analysis for Sports Mockery, including roster moves, game breakdowns, and prospect development.
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