MESA, Ariz. — Cubs left-handed prospect Brailyn Marquez arrived at spring training camp Monday, after a COVID-19 infection delayed his report date.
Marquez, who is vaccinated, said he’s feeling good now, after testing positive about two and a half weeks ago. He was symptomatic but has since recovered. Marquez quarantined in the Dominican Republic, his home country.
“It really isn’t frustrating for me [personally], moreso the possibility of affecting the team and the organization by not being there, being ready for them when they need me,” Marquez said through team translator Will Nadal.
Marquez went through something similar last season, which delayed his arrival in camp. Between recovering from COVID-19 and then sustaining a shoulder strain, he was sidelined for the season. That time, he said, he was shut down during a month-long quarantine period.
“Then when I started ramping up again practicing throwing, I felt [the injury],” he said. “So, I don’t really know where it came from. It could have been from that layoff, from having COVID and being quarantined.”
He’s focused on avoiding a related injury this time around.
“I’ve had a full year just to continue to work on my body,” he said, “build up, make sure that if this happened again, which it did, I’d be ready once I was able to start pitching again.”