Quick Facts
Biography
Carl Fleming Edwards Jr. (born September 3, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was formerly known as "C.J." in the minor leagues, where he also earned the nickname "The String Bean Slinger" for his skinny physique.
Career
Edwards was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 48th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft out of Mid-Carolina High School in Prosperity, South Carolina. Edwards initially committed to play college baseball for the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, where he would join a high school teammate and friend. However, when that friend died in a car accident, Edwards decided instead to pursue professional baseball. He spent his first professional season with the Arizona League Rangers and Spokane Indians. He finished the year 5–3 with a 1.48 earned run average (ERA) and 85 strikeouts over 67 innings pitched. He started the 2013 season with the Hickory Crawdads, going 8–2 with a 1.83 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 93 1⁄3 innings.
On July 22, 2013, Edwards along with Mike Olt, Justin Grimm, and a player to be named later (Neil Ramirez) were traded to the Chicago Cubs for Matt Garza. He was sent to the Daytona Cubs, where he had a 1.96 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 23 innings. After the season, he was named the MiLB Pitcher of the Year.
Prior to the 2014 season, he was ranked by Baseball America as the 28th best prospect in baseball.
On November 20, 2014, Edwards was added to the Cubs 40-man roster, in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
On September 7, 2015, Edwards made his Major League debut for the Cubs against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
On September 1, 2016, Edwards recorded his first Major League save against the San Francisco Giants.
Edwards finished the 2016 season with a 3.75 ERA in 35 innings pitched.
On October 25, 2016, Carl Edwards Jr. along with teammates Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, and Jason Heyward became the first African-Americans to play for the Cubs in a World Series game.
On October 28, 2016, he struck out the side in relief duty in the top of the sixth inning against the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 of the World Series at Wrigley Field . Edwards appeared in the 10th inning of Game 7, where he recorded the first two outs of the inning and surrendered one run. The Cubs defeated Cleveland to win their first World Series in 108 years.