10 Chicago Cubs Prospects Who Could Play at Wrigley Field in 2012

Brett Jackson is ready to step in for the Chicago Cubs, and he could easily be the starting center fielder starting right now. But the Cubs wisely have elected to hold Jackson back a bit, and he will not get that opportunity until next Opening Day.

That will be a crucial event for Cubs fans: While the 2012 team does not figure to swing the fortunes of this losing 2011 squad all the way around, the progress (even if it be a sacrifice of short-term viability for long-term success, or merely addition by subtraction), the club makes this winter will give an indication of their plan and a good idea of whether or not it will work.

The Cubs would love to land a marquee free agent this offseason, and there are certainly deserving candidates. But if the team is left with too few options on the open market, those assets (C.J. Wilson, for example) can get grossly overvalued.

The Cubs might be served better by continuing to favor their youth and player development system. Here are 10 prospects who could make a positive difference in 2012 for the Cubs.

1. Brett Jackson

No scouts are concerned about Jackson's ability to play center field well, to handle all the throws from there, to run or hit for power or draw walks.

The only hole in his game is contact, and frankly the Cubs have never shied away from hitters like those anyway.

Jackson could bat leadoff for the team next year as he has at every stop in the minor leagues, or he could move down in the order if the team feels his swing-and-miss issues will prevent him getting on base at a .380 clip or so.

2. Trey McNutt

Exactly one year younger than Jackson, McNutt has physical maturity beyond those years.

What he has not had, in 2011 anyway, is his full health. He has dealt with blister and forearm problems, and he could be delayed until well into the 2012 campaign so as to keep his innings count under control.

But McNutt has the potential to be a middle- or even front-of-the-rotation starter, and he should break in sometime next year.

3. Welington Castillo

With Koyie Hill's protection seemingly having evaporated upon the firing of GM Jim Hendry, the Cubs should finally cut bait with him this winter and find room on the roster for the young Castillo.

His ceiling is to become a hitter on par with Geovany Soto, but even if he never gets there, he's a cheaper and more suitable backup to Soto than is Hill.

4. Rafael Dolis

With an easy delivery and a hard, heavy heater, Dolis looks for all the world like a future late-inning reliever.

He has sparkled at Double-A this year, and if he doesn't see action in September (I suspect he will), he still ought to make the team next season as the Cubs scramble to fill gaps in their pitching staff.

5. Josh Vitters

Vitters continues to take halting forward steps at the plate, but he still has upside because of his fantastic swing from the right side.

He could take over for Aramis Ramirez if the team lets Ramirez walk, or fill in at third and first if the team thinks he has developed as far as he will get. He likely still has room to improve, though.

6. Nick Struck

Struck has flown up the ladder, partially because of some surprise velocity bumps Struck has flashed.

He'll end up making a dozen starts at Triple-A Iowa at age 21, and Struck could be in competition to be the team's fifth starter as early as April next year.

7. Chris Rusin

Rusin is three years Struck's elder, but is also left-handed. If he starts his spring the way he is finishing his year at Iowa, he will get a long look indeed at some substantial role on next year's club.

He's notched a thoroughly impressive 38:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 43-plus innings at Iowa since a midseason promotion.

8. Ryan Flaherty

A left-handed bench bat may be all Flaherty will ever be, but since the Cubs would have to start paying Blake DeWitt arbitration money to stay next season, Flaherty is a more efficient option. He might also be more fun.

9. Scott Maine

Maine has already tasted the big leagues this season, but with John Grabow's contract set to expire this winter, Maine might finally have a permanent spot in 2012.

His 70:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio in Iowa is even more impressive given that he has done it in scarcely 50 innings.

10. Bryan LaHair

Enough circuits of the minors can make any Quad-A guy look good, but LaHair has had such a remarkable summer that the Cubs just might take a chance on him going into next season.

The only scenario in which that happens is that the Cubs miss out on both major free-agent first baseman and wind up with a right-handed guy of no special consequence. But it could still happen, and LaHair makes the decision more difficult every day with both his attitude and his plate prowess.

5 Others Who Might Slip in

Another handful of minor-league Cubs have the chops to be bench or role players in the big leagues starting next season, and for a team in rebuilding mode, it might not be a bad idea to see what each can do:

1. D.J. LeMahieu, who played a bit with the parent club this spring, could replace Jeff Baker next year at one-fifth of the price.
2. Marwin Gonzalez, a pleasant surprise who has scaled the heights by glimpsing enough stick to make him viable. Defensive chops up the middle more his forte.
3. Casey Coleman is another sometime Cub who could lock up a full-time role next year with a bit of reining in the command-and-control issues that have plagued him this year
4. Jae-Hoon Ha is a young and toolsy outfielder whom the Cubs have pushed aggressively, and who has responded well thus far.
5. Marquez Smith, a slick-fielding third baseman who could help off the bench, adds right-handed power at the plate. He might be the better comp for Baker, honestly.