Chicago Cubs Position-by-Position Breakdown at 2015 Spring Training
For the first time in a very long time, the Chicago Cubs seem ready to compete for the playoffs. A lot of that has to do with their improved roster in every area of the team. While making the playoffs will still be a tough task in 2015, this current Cubs team has the talent to get it done.
This spring training, there doesn't figure to be too many intense position battles, but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty to watch in Mesa, Arizona. Here's a preview of what to look for from each position in the field as spring training gets underway.
Catcher
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The Starter: Miguel Montero. Acquiring Montero was huge for the Cubs this offseason, as he should give them the offensive production they've been missing from the catcher spot in recent years. He's not a game-changer offensively, as he only has a .264 career batting average, but he's still a step up from an injured and inconsistent Welington Castillo.
Montero brings some veteran leadership with him as well as a left-handed bat, which may result in better power numbers at Wrigley Field. Since he's locked up for the next three years, the Cubs appear to be set behind the dish.
The Backup: David Ross. Speaking of veteran leadership, Ross has plenty of it. He comes over to the Cubs pretty much to be Jon Lester's personal catcher, and he will fit right in on this roster. Ross has been on teams who have won titles and he can impart that know-how on this young group.
Ross isn't a slouch offensively, but his value comes in his experience and his relationship with Lester. As long as he makes Lester feel more comfortable on the mound, he's worth every penny of the $2.5 million he will be paid in 2015.
The Odd Man Out: Welington Castillo. There's not much sense in keeping three catchers on the major league roster for the season, so Castillo could be on the move before spring training is over. Trade rumors have cooled on him, but based on his youth, there could be teams interested.
Once considered one of the Cubs' most promising positional prospects, Castillo has seemingly fallen out of favor after a couple inconsistent, injury-riddled seasons.
First Base
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The Only Option: Anthony Rizzo. It's a good bet nobody is unseating Rizzo from his spot at first base any time soon. He is the Cubs' best overall hitter and would make sense in the No. 3 spot in the order in 2015. Rizzo is developing more into a team leader, as he's been more vocal this offseason.
As long as Rizzo keeps hitting 30-plus home runs a year while hitting for a respectable average, he's going to be plugged into the first base slot every day.
Second Base
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The Elite Prospect: Javier Baez. Last year, Baez dazzled Cubs fans right away by launching a go-ahead home run in extra innings of his first major league game. However, he mostly went downhill after that.
Baez strikes out way too much. If he doesn't fix that, he may not even be starting for the Cubs before too long. His strikeout rate of 41.5 percent from a year ago isn't going to fly.
Since this team now thinks it can compete, the leash is going to be much shorter with Baez if he continues to strikeout at a prolific rate. However, he seems like the second base starter unless he mightily struggles in spring training.
The Struggling Youngster: Arismendy Alcantara. After paying his dues at every level of the minor leagues, Alcantara finally got the call up to the big leagues last season. While he presents value as a utility man who can play multiple defensive positions, he has to improve his offense to get playing time.
Last season, Alcantara hit just .190 against right-handed pitching, something that will have to change in 2015. If he can prove he is capable of making adjustments, he could get a lot of playing time at second base, especially if Baez struggles early on.
The Wild Card: Tommy La Stella. Probably the least talked about name the Cubs acquired this offseason, La Stella actually has a lot of value. Last season, he peaked at a .296 batting average in July, but an extensive slump spanning the last two months of the season brought him all the way down to .251.
The Cubs seem to like his ability to put the bat on the ball, even though he doesn't hit for any power. Even though he's a second baseman, the Cubs could ask him to play third base for the first few weeks of the season until super prospect Kris Bryant is called up.
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Third Base
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The Future: Kris Bryant. Within a few weeks of the start of the regular season, Bryant should be the starter at the hot corner for the Cubs. He dazzled everyone from prospects to fans to the front office last year, hitting 43 home runs and drove in 110 runs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2014.
There's a reason everyone is excited for this kid to come up. He has immense talent. The team may start him off slowly, but once he gets in a groove, Bryant's skill set resembles that of a No. 3 hitter in a big league lineup.
The Backup: Mike Olt. After getting a chance at third base last season, Olt now appears to be one of the odd men out in a loaded prospect system. He has tremendous power upside, but hits for an average that doesn't justify his power.
He has the chance to win the third base job out of spring training, but Bryant will likely be there soon after the season starts anyway. Even with his inability to put the bat on the ball consistently, Olt looks like a good late-game pinch hitting option since he can do damage with one swing.
Shortstop
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The All-Star: Starlin Castro. All offseason incidents aside, Castro appears ready to take off in 2015. He bounced back last season after a very disappointing 2013 and is now situated in a better lineup. Castro may hit in the No. 2 spot behind new leadoff man Dexter Fowler, which should really benefit Castro.
Being able to hit and run with someone like Fowler may leave Castro more infield space to slap the ball through, which would get him on base more. One thing Castro needs to improve this season is his focus in in-game situations. When his head is in the game, there aren't many better middle infielders in the game.
The Young Stud: Addison Russell. Somehow lost in the shuffle sometimes, Russell is actually as highly regarded as Bryant by most in baseball and for good reason. He is a smooth fielder, hits for average and moderate power.
Even while injured for a large chunk of last season, Russell hit 13 home runs while batting .295 split across High-A and Double-A. Once called up—which could be some time this season—he may take over at shortstop because of his superior fielding ability. How that will affect the rest of the infield is anybody's guess.
Outfield
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The Former ROY: Chris Coghlan. Last season, the Cubs took a flyer on Coghlan and it really paid off. The 2009 Rookie of the Year hit .283 while slapping 28 doubles, putting up his best overall numbers since his first season in the league.
He fit well in the leadoff role, but he could be relegated to the bottom of the order this season. Hitting in the No. 7 or 8 spots, Coghlan could really provide the team with hitting depth if he can duplicate his impressive performance from a year ago.
The Leadoff Man: Dexter Fowler. Perhaps the most important addition to the Cubs' lineup this offseason was Fowler, who can fill the leadoff role. Overall, he's not a great hitter, but his skill set makes him the ideal leadoff man for the Cubs.
Last year with the Astros, Fowler hit .276 while getting on base at a .375 clip and swiping 11 bases. The most impressive Fowler stat, though, is the fact that he hit an astounding .393 when leading off innings last season. If he can do that with the Cubs, their offense is going to take a huge step up from 2014.
The High-Upside Prospect: Jorge Soler. If he hadn't been so injury prone during his time in the minor leagues, he would be as highly regarded as some of the team's other top prospects. However, he can be just as productive as anyone because he has a very mature plate approach for his age.
In just under 100 plate appearances last season, Soler batted .292 while slugging at a .573 clip. He didn't hit for the power he's capable of, but that could come in his first full year in the pros.
The Bench Player: Chris Denorfia. One of the more overlooked signings of this offseason came when the Cubs signed Denorfia to be a backup outfielder. He's nothing flashy, but he's a solid veteran. Look for him to get some opportunities to pinch hit.
The Fifth Outfielder: Ryan Sweeney. Two years ago, Sweeney really impressed the Cubs with his gap power, prompting them to give the veteran outfielder a two-year deal. He was injured most of last season, but when healthy, he's a valuable lefty off the bench.
The Potential Bust: Junior Lake. When he made his MLB debut in 2013, Lake seemed like a blessing to the Cubs. He wasn't expected to be great, but he played really well. Last year, he was either injured or underperformed. This spring training could be his last chance to prove himself to the Cubs front office.
The Unknown Prospect: Matt Szczur. Hardcore Cubs fans are aware of Szczur, but casual fans of the team may not be privy to the talented outfielder. The former two-sport athlete at Villanova hit two home runs in 33 games at the big league level last year and could earn a roster spot if he really impresses this spring.
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