While the Cubs are getting some good news with a couple of players coming back from injuries in spring training, this week has been tough for a couple of prospects down in the minor league system.

Third baseman James Triantos will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery on his right knee earlier this week. The 20-year-old was taken in the second round of the MLB Draft by the Cubs in 2021.

Via the Chicago Tribune.

Triantos had surgery Tuesday to repair the meniscus in his right knee, sources told the Tribune. The hope is the 20-year-old third baseman will miss only six to eight weeks.

Obviously not great when anyone has to go through surgery and it is probably a bigger bummer that it happened right before the start of a new season was on the horizon for Triantos.

In 2022, Triantos spent the entire season at A-Ball, playing for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. The right-handed hitter was one of the youngest players in the league, ending the season with 113 games under his belt as a 19-year-old. Overall, Triantos slashed .272/.335/.386, with 7 home runs, 19 doubles and 6 triples. He also showed off his speed once he reached base, stealing 20 bags and only getting thrown out three times.

MLB.com ranks Triantos as the Cubs No. 12 prospect, while Baseball America has him No. 18.

Triantos was the 56th overall pick in 2021 and after he signed with the Cubs he played in the Arizona Complex League in rookie ball. Triantos played 25 games there and posted a .970 OPS in 101 at-bats, hitting six home runs in his first taste of pro ball.

It will be interesting to read when this knee issue for Triantos became a real problem because he was in Cubs camp this spring training and he even started in one game as the Cubs designated hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers, getting four at-bats on Feb. 28.

Hopefully there aren’t any setbacks in Triantos’ rehab while he works back to the field. With an estimated timeline of 6-8 weeks to fully recover, Triantos is looking to make his season debut until the middle of May.

Earlier this week the Chicago Tribune also reported that 2022 fourth round pick Nazier Mulé will need Tommy John surgery. Mulé is a two-way prospect that was going to get the chance to pursue playing on the field and being a pitcher in the Cubs farm system. You can read more about Mulé here.

Injuries stink. Let’s hope both Triantos and Mulé make it back even stronger.

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