Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant sharpened his already-electrifying batting skills in spring training with Arizona's Mesa Community College baseball team.

The team, however, wasn't aware.

In the second inning of his second spring start Monday against the San Diego Padres, Jake Arrieta put a man on base for fun.

The Chicago Cubs and 2015 National League Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta agreed to terms on a one-year, $10.7 million contract in February, but it appears the deal wasn't close to what the right-hander wanted.

Continue for updates.

Veteran outfielder Shane Victorino signed with the Chicago Cubs on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training on Friday, according to Bruce Levine of WSCR. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com confirmed the report. 

Call the Dexter Fowler re-signing a fantasy-turned-reality for the Chicago Cubs, because any hope that the team could entice Fowler to come back for the 2016 season didn’t seem possible a short while ago.

It appears Dexter Fowler had a last-second change of heart, opting to re-sign with the Chicago Cubs for at least one more season. 

The Cubs announced Fowler agreed to terms on a one-year deal for 2016 with a mutual option for 2017.

Once an elite prospect destined to help the Chicago Cubs become relevant again, Javier Baez is now a former prospect hoping to latch onto a Cubs team that became relevant without him.

But there's a line between "former prospect" and "afterthought." Baez is still only 23, and he still has the talent that made him a top prospect in the first place. He also has what most afterthoughts don't.

An opportunity.

Manny Parra signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs on Monday, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.

The weekend-long Cubs Convention wouldn't start until Friday, but Chicago Cubs fans were already on high alert at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Chicago on Tuesday night.

The former fan favorite was bundled up in an attempt to counter the freezing Chicago winter, but that didn't stop more than a few fans from recognizing and approaching him.

Ryne Sandberg is reportedly returning to the Chicago Cubs in 2016 to serve as a special ambassador, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score.   

The 56-year-old Sandberg played 15 seasons for the Cubs from 1982-97 and was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.