Armando Rivero #38

Armando begins his second season with the Cubs after signing a minor league deal with the club in March of 2013 … is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA (14 ER/30.1 IP) in 20 career minor league relief appearances ... Participated in the Cubs Rookie Development Program in January of 2014 ... Was a teammate of Cubs left-hander Gerardo Concepcion with the Industriales in Cuba's Serie Nacional during the 2010-11 campaign ... In his last season with Cuba in 2010-11, he compiled a 3.06 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 21 walks in 47.0 innings ... Pitched briefly at the FISU World University Championships in Japan in 2010.

Spent the season in Triple-A Iowa's bullpen, going 5-3 with a 2.13 ERA (16 ER/67.2 IP) in 43 games...Named a Pacific Coast League All-Star...Struck out 105 for a K/9 rate of 13.97, which led all of minor league baseball among players with at least 65.0 innings...Went to his third consecutive Spring Training as a non-roster invitee with the Cubs... Became the third straight Braves selection in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, joining RHP Dan Winkler (2014) and LHP Evan Rutckyj (2015).

Armando went 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA (14 ER/30.1 IP) and 45 strikeouts in 20 relief appearances between Single-A Kane County, Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee ... it marked his first season in the United States after a successful amateur experience in Cuba ... Struck out 45 hitters while walking just 12 in 30.1 innings of work ... Made his Cubs debut with Kane County, June 22 at Quad Cities, allowing four runs on five hits in 0.2 innings of work ... Posted a 5.40 ERA (11 ER/18.1 IP) with 28 strikeouts in 11 relief appearances with Kane County ... Did not allow a run in five-straight appearances with the Cougars, July 17-August 1 (9.2 IP), to earn a promotion to Daytona in August ... Went 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA (2 ER/8.2 IP) and 12 strikeouts in six relief appearances with Tennessee ... Limited Double-A right-handed hitters to a .105 batting average (2-for-19) while lefties hit .429 (6-for-14) ... Made 11 relief appearances with the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, going 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA (6 ER/11.0 IP) and nine strikeouts.