Levine: Cubs Calling Up Javier Baez

By Bruce Levine-

(CBS) The Cubs are calling up elite prospect Javier Baez from Triple-A Iowa, an MLB source told 670 The Score.

The 21-year-old Baez will join the team tomorrow in time for its game in Colorado. He'll be added to the 40-man roster and then transfer to the 25-man roster before the contest. Baez will likely play second base, a position he's been working on in Iowa for the last three weeks. Baez had previously spent his entire minor league career as a shortstop.

Baez was hitting .260 with 23 homers, 80 RBIs and an .833 OPS in 104 games at Iowa. He's renowned by many scouts for his quick bat speed and his raw power that's rarely seen among middle infielders.

A native of Puerto Rico who moved to the United State at 11, Baez was ranked as the league's fourth-best prospect entering the 2014 season by Baseball America.

Room for Baez was cleared when the Cubs traded second baseman Darwin Barney to the Dodgers and utilityman Emilio Bonifacio to the Braves in recent weeks.

Baez will be the second heralded Cubs prospect to make his big league debut in the past month. On July 9, Arismendy Alcantara got the call-up and has been with Chicago since. The versatile Alcantara can play the infield or the outfield, so he'll likely slide into center field or play third base in the near future.

Baez was a selection of the Jim Hendry regime, as he was the ninth overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft.

As reported here first, Baez has switched agents and chose the Wasserman Group to represent him on July 27.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.