Cubs designate longest-tenured player David Bote for assignment

Cubs designate longest-tenured player David Bote for assignment originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Cubs announced Friday they designated David Bote, their longest-tenured player, for assignment, ending his 12-year career with the North Side.

The team recalled infielder Luis Vázquez from Triple-A Iowa in his place. They also claimed right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell off of waivers from the Diamondbacks, optioning him to Triple-A.

The Cubs drafted Bote, 31, in the 18th round of the 2012 MLB Entry Draft. He started in the team’s rookie league in 2012, making his MLB debut six years later in 2018. The Cubs acquired Kyle Hendricks, now their longest-tenured player after Bote’s departure, just under two months later in 2012 via trade.

In the majors, Bote has played 421 games with the Cubs. He’s hitting a career .234 with the team from 249 hits. He’s hit 36 home runs, 156 RBIs and scored 136 runs.

This season, Bote has played 37 games with the Cubs. He held a .304 batting average and .725 OPS. He recorded just six RBIs and scored four runs in his time up in the majors.

Vázquez, 24, has played two major league games with the Cubs this season. With the Iowa Cubs, he’s hitting .263 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs from 64 games.

Hollowell, 26, has made 32 appearances in the major leagues — entirely with the Rockies. He holds a 2-2 record with one save and a 6.20 ERA from the 2022 and 2023 seasons. This season, he’s split time between the Rockies and Diamondbacks Triple-A teams.

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