Barnette (shoulder) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa on Sunday, retiring two of the four batters he faced while giving up one run on a walk and one hit. He also hit a batter during the 20-pitch outing.

EDGE Analysis

Shut down most of the spring with a sprained right shoulder, Barnette received clearance for minor-league work after experiencing no issues during his recent live batting practice sessions. He looked rusty in his initial game action and will likely require at least a few more appearances at Triple-A before the Cubs are comfortable bringing him back from the 10-day injured list. Barnette will likely fill a lower-leverage role out of the bullpen once activated.