Down on the Farm: Andrew Cashner

This isn't the first time Andrew Cashner has been drafted, but it appears to be the last. The 19th overall pick has been drafted four times. First in 2005 out of high school by the Braves, then in 2006 by the Rockies, next in 2007 by the Cubs and then, finally, again by Chicago yesterday.

"It has been a long process," Cashner said. "I've come a long way since high school, and I think this year is finally the first year I have grown into my body and matured in a baseball standpoint....I left high school at 5-9, and I left TCU at 6-6, 190 pounds so I have come a long way."

Cashner has made tremendous strides physically in the past year, putting on weight and developing a 98-mph fastball and mid-80s power curve that has helped his stock rise from a 29th-round pick last year to a first-round pick 12 months later. The flame thrower attributes his success to a new diet and workout plan that awaited him after he transferred to Texas Christian University in the fall.

"[TCU] put me on a meal plan and a nutrition plan, and I sat down with our nutritionist and gained some weight. Then the strength coach helped me out a lot, and I put on a lot of muscle and got a lot stronger this year."

Bigger and stronger, Cashner has electric stuff, but it didn't fully translate into production until Cashner was made TCU's closer after being a lifetime starter. TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle made the decision because of the lack of depth in the Horned Frogs bullpen.

At first, the move worried Cashner.

"To be frank, [Cashner] wasn't so sure," Schlossnagle said. "Most starting pitchers...feel that the pen is a demotion. We tried to convince him that if he can be really good at this, the elite college closers have done really well in the draft, and if they stay in the bullpen, they move to the big leagues real quick."

It only took one outing for Cashner to be convinced.

"In his very first opportunity against Cal State Fullerton in our second game of the season...he was 97-99 [mph] and needless to say he bought in pretty quick."

So far Schlossnagle has been right. Cashner was the first relief pitcher taken in the draft, and if he continues to grow as a pitcher, the green ivy of Wrigley Field could be on the horizon.

Tim Wilken, the Director of Amateur and Professional Scouting for the Cubs, couldn't agree more, but he is biding his time to decide what role the big righty will take.

"I think we are going to let this one take its own pace," Wilken said. "His delivery is pretty darn sound and is probably one of the better ones in this draft....He is comfortable in what he is doing...but he has started in the past.

"I think he's got good versatility and can go either way. We are very happy."

And what does the Texas native know of Chicago?

"I know that Wrigley Field is awesome and that they are in first place, and Lou Piniella is doing a great job with them."

Couldn't have been said much better.

-- Zach Martin