Cubs Reportedly Coveted HS Pitcher But Potential Signing Difficulty Led Them to Draft Ryan Jensen

The Chicago Cubs selected right-hander Ryan Jensen out of Fresno State with the 27th pick in the first round, but it appears that Jensen was not originally the guy the team originally wanted to select, writes ESPN insider Jeff Passan.

The Cubs were close to drafting Matthew Allan, a high school hurler that has already committed to Florida, but reportedly decided against it due to internal concerns that they might not be able to sign the pitcher. Instead, the North Siders chose to select Jensen earlier than his prospect rank would have projected.

Jensen throws hard, with a fastball that consistently reaches 97-98 mph, but his lack of command on secondary pitches made his draft stock drop. He has a lot of potential, and evidently the Cubs feel that they will be able to fix all of his mechanical issues during his time in their developmental system.

It is interesting that the Cubs were not confident they would be able to convince Allan to sign with them given that they're such a storied franchise. They had better hope that Jensen pans out for them in the long haul; otherwise, they'll be feeling awfully sheepish about their draft day decision.