Cubs infield prospect Jefferson Rojas on the rise

MESA, Ariz. — As rain soaked the field Friday at Sloan Park, Cubs prospects selected to participate in the ‘‘Spring Breakout’’ showcase against White Sox prospects headed to the concourse to sign autographs for fans instead.

‘‘I’ve never signed that many autographs in my life,’’ 18-year-old infielder Jefferson Rojas said through an interpreter after the game was canceled because of rain. ‘‘They care, and then the love that these fans have, it was incredible.’’

The Cubs’ roster for the game was full of top prospects fans have heard plenty about in recent years, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara and Owen Caissie. Rojas, however, is a fast climber who has flown under the radar. He is now No. 10 in MLB Pipeline’s rankings of Cubs prospects.

Rojas signed with the Cubs out of the Dominican Republic in 2022. After hitting .303 in the Dominican Summer League that year, he slashed .268/.345/.404 last season at Single-A Myrtle Beach.

‘‘Even though I’m young, I consider myself to have a very mature mindset,’’ Rojas said of the transition. ‘‘Somebody that can definitely play and adjust to whatever is needed.’’

Rojas had the bat-to-ball skills, but the Cubs had him lower his hands in his batting stance to help him elevate the ball more. He hit seven home runs last season.

On Friday, Rojas was set to start at shortstop for the Cubs, who have the No. 2 farm system in the majors, according to MLB Pipeline. He was the only teenager in either team’s starting lineup.

‘‘It’s great for my family, as well,’’ Rojas said. ‘‘And it’s definitely a great opportunity. . . . This tells me that I can definitely be somebody in the organization, and I’m just ready for whatever the future holds.’’

He said he has received advice from Alcantara, who has been in major-league camp the last two years and is expected to push for a big-league call-up in the next couple of seasons.

‘‘Jaguar, he’s a great guy,’’ Rojas said, referring to Alcantara by his nickname. ‘‘I’ve asked him what it’s like to play with the big-leaguers, being around these guys in the majors, and he just told me his experience and how he’s come about to play at the level he’s at.’’

Counsell’s prospect musings

Manager Craig Counsell went with the major-league team to nearby Glendale, where the Cubs lost 3-2 to the White Sox in an eight-inning game shortened by weather. Before he left, however, he shared some thoughts about the Cubs’ farm system.

‘‘Every organization labels their players as prospects because we want to believe in our players, for sure,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘The great thing that the Cubs have going on right now is that there’s a lot of kids you can talk about. And that’s fun because they’re all on this journey to try to become ‘guys.’

‘‘Some of them will, some of them won’t. But there’s enough of them that the odds are really in our favor that there’s going to be ‘that guy.’ And so our job is to help all of them and take part in that journey. And it’s fun doing that, and it’s fun knowing that there’s a lot of them that could be ‘that guy.’ ’’

Injury update

Third baseman Nick Madrigal (strained right hamstring) has progressed to taking live batting practice. He and left fielder Ian Happ (strained left hamstring) hit in a minor-league scrimmage on the back fields.

Happ, who has been taking live BP for about a week, is ahead of Madrigal. Counsell said Thursday that Happ is on track to return to game action early next week.

White Sox 3, Cubs 2

Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks stretched out to five innings in his fifth start of the spring. He allowed three runs and four hits. The runs scored on a two-run home run by Paul DeJong in the second inning and an RBI double by Andrew Vaughn in the third. Wicks then faced the minimum number of batters in the fourth and fifth.

• The Cubs scored their two runs when Alexander Canario, Brennen Davis and Miles Mastrobuoni doubled in the second. Those were the team’s only extra-base hits of the game.

• The Cubs went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

• The game was delayed by rain, then called after the top of the eighth.

• On deck: Royals at Cubs, 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Mesa, Jordan Lyles vs. Drew Smyly; Cubs at Angels, 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Tempe, Ben Brown vs. Chase Silseth.