Extra bases

• Outfielder Albert Almora, the Cubs' No. 1 Draft pick in 2012, will join Class A Kane County on Wednesday. Almora broke the hamate bone in his left hand on a swing during a Spring Training game in mid March, and had been rehabbing at the team's facility in Mesa, Ariz.

• Cubs owners Tom, Pete, Laura and Todd Ricketts were joined by Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer for the opening of the team's new academy in the Dominican Republic on Monday.

The 50-acre facility, built in La Jina, outside of Santo Domingo, cost between $6-8 million and will be open year-round. Players will have access to training facilities, baseball fields and housing, and there will be an education center.

Assistant general manager Randy Bush, Jason McLeod, director of player development and scouting; Louie Eljaua, director of international scouting; and Jose Serra, director of Dominican operations, also attended the opening.

• Cubs pitcher Carlos Villanueva is now clean shaven. He says he shaved his handlebar mustache and beard on Thursday's off-day to "shock" everyone.

"My wife's really happy," Villanueva said about his new look.

However, he's already starting to regrow a beard and mustache. What will he do next?

"It's a mystery," Villanueva said. "Keep 'em guessing."

• What happens in a game if both Welington Castillo and Dioner Navarro are hurt? Who's the Cubs' emergency catcher?

"No one," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "I've asked around and nobody wants that title. You always ask that question somewhere along the line and nobody wants to step up. I can't blame them."