Jorge Soler injury: Cubs prospect out with stress fracture in shin

Soler, 21, was thriving at the plate in his first two-plus months in High-A ball. The Cuban slugger was hitting .281/.343/.467 with eight home runs through his first 55 games, putting him on the fast track to Double-A and setting him up for an appearance in the nationally televised Futures Games on July 14. All that will have to wait now, however.

Soler has been sidelined since June 13 when he fouled a pitch off his shin. The club thought at the time that his injury was minor, and that he would return to the lineup sometime this week, but when he was re-examined by team doctors on Wednesday they discovered the fracture.

Signed by the Cubs to a nine-year, $30 million deal in June 2012, Soler has done nothing but rake since starting his stateside career, earning him Baseball America’s no. 34 prospect ranking prior to this season. For all Soler’s success on the field, however, not everything has gone well for the young outfielder. He was suspended for five games and fined and undisclosed sum in April for approaching the opposing team’s dugout while wielding a bat, and was also benched a game for not hustling.

While two months on the sidelines shouldn’t stunt Soler’s development too much, is certainly hurts his chances of getting a call-up when rosters expand in September.

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