Bijan Rademacher knows his draft day back in 2012 could have been over quickly if he’d just agreed to one thing; pitch. The Chicago Cubs Double-A outfielder was a hotter pitching prospect than a position player and multiple teams called his agent, looking to draft him as a potential closer. He told his agent to turn them down flat.
“I would come in and throw low to mid 90s and closed out games (at Orange Coast College),” Rademacher said. “When draft day came me and my agent got a lot of calls from teams that wanted to take me real high as a pitcher. I told them my dream was to make it as a hitter. I know I can do that.”
Cubs need to find a way to get Bijan Rademacher and his .981 OPS to Iowa.
— Brad (@ballskwok) May 17, 2016
Rademacher, the hitter, lasted until the 13th round of the 2012 draft where he landed with the Cubs. His decision to keep a bat in his hands has worked out so far, helping him shoot up the Cubs’ minor league system and become one of the most exciting hitters to come to the plate in Smokies Park. Coming into Saturday night Rademacher is hitting .281 with 20 RBIs, five home runs and five doubles. for the Tennessee Smokies.
“It’s a combination of putting on extra weight in the offseason and shortening up my swing,” Rademacher said. “Last season I was so big (with the swing) and out of sequence. This year I have smaller movements. This year I make sure I’m on time and can hit balls consistently on the barrel.”
They weren't high draft picks but OF Bijan Rademacher and 2B Chesny Young can hit. Respective OPSes of 1.188 and 1.035 in AA for @Cubs.
— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) April 28, 2016
Rademacher comes from a baseball family. Father Kent played two seasons of professional baseball with the Milwaukee Braves. His brother Brandon was a pitching prospect in high school until injuries forced him out of the sport. With that kind of instruction growing up, it’s no wonder Rademacher is a man of many talents, including being able to throw and pitch with both arms.
“It’s just something I’m comfortable with (throwing with either hand,” Rademacher said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to use it in the game.”
Rademacher, a left-hander, has still pitched at the minor league level. Two seasons ago with the Boise Hawks current Smokies manager Mark Johnson would send Rademacher out to clean up games when the bullpen was spent.
“I asked him (Rademacher) if they let him pitch last year and he said no,” Johnson said. “They were missing out because it’s pretty special. He can throw low 90s with some nasty, left-handed cut.”
People asking first Cubs prospect to move up. My guess is Bijan Rademacher. 500 PAs in AA, 1.188 OPS, spent a lot of time in AAA camp.
— Cubs Den (@CubsDen) April 27, 2016
Rademacher likely won’t make an appearance on the mound for the Smokies this season unless it’s in a blowout situation. But if called on, he’s ready.
“I just went out there and had fun (when he pitched),” Rademacher said. “I got to relive the glory days of college so I pretended it wasn’t a blowout. I didn’t care much for the soreness the next day.”
Rademacher is in no danger of losing his job as a hitter any time soon. But if something does happen, he hasn’t shut the door on pitching just yet.
“If it doesn’t work out, I can still go the pitching route,” Rademacher said. “You can always go to pitching because your arm is still going to be there. It’s hard to go the other way, because it’s so hard to get your timing to hit back.”
#Cubs prospect Bijan Rademacher stays red-hot with two HRs, four RBIs for @smokiesbaseball. https://t.co/dvWs1cnxto pic.twitter.com/arZnj0Av2g
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 20, 2016
In meantime, Rademacher keeps working at his outfield position. His bat keeps him in the line up, but the Smokies have some of the top outfield prospects in the organization competing for playing time. Rademacher is joined in the grass by Billy McKinney, Kelly Dugan, Jacob Hannemann and new arrival Trey Martin.
“If you want to be on the field every day, you’ve got to hit. It brings out the competition within us,” Rademacher said. “We all push each other. We’re all going to get playing time, but it’s nice to get a hot start and know you’re forcing them to keep you in the line up.”
A Bijan Rademacher name drop on the Cubs broadcast. Pretty cool. #prospectsfordays
— Carlos Rae Jepsen🌹 (@CEnrqz) April 20, 2016
But that competition comes with camaraderie too.
“We’re trying to be the best defensive group out there,” Rademacher said. “We want to hold the runners on first, give our pitchers double play opportunities and not giving them extra bags. We pride ourselves on defense first.”
