Josh Vitters has been dropped by his team in the Venezuelan Winter League. Vitters lasted just two games with the Caracas Lions before getting the boot. It's not clear if the 23-year-old third baseman will try to latch on with another team or simply head home.

Cubs president Theo Epstein said Thursday that Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson will open 2013 at Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs are unlikely to be competitive in the National League Central next season, so they'll keep their top prospects marinating down on the farm. Vitters, a 23-year-old third baseman, batted .121/.193/.202 in his first 36 major leagues games this summer. Jackson, a 24-year-old outfielder, hit .175/.303/.342.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Luis Valbuena will be his primary third baseman down the stretch. The Cubs don't have much to lose by throwing Josh Vitters out there regularly, but they don't want to bury the youngster. Vitters went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts Monday in his last start and is now batting .093 with 19 strikeouts over 56 plate appearances. Sveum said he'll "mix and match," while at the same time giving Vitters "some time to kick back."

Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer indicated Tuesday that prospect third baseman Josh Vitters is likely to be called up from Triple-A Iowa in the near future. Vitters, who turns 23 later this month, is hitting .296/.349/.496 with 15 home runs, 63 RBI and an .846 OPS in 106 games this season at the Triple-A level. There are serious questions about his plate discipline, but he should get a look as the Cubs evaluate their internal options for 2013. He might be worth a stash in NL-only formats.