Theo Epstein Cubs GM: 10 Players He Will Keep and Build Around for the Future

The Cubs are in a transitional period as far as their organization goes, and that was already the case before the team's announcement that they had added Boston GM Theo Epstein to their front office.

With a number of contracts set to come off the books at the end of 2012, a number of young players have begun to see significant roles as the team evaluates their talent moving forward.

With Epstein running the show now, he could look to unload some incumbents as he begins to shape the team in his image, but there is at least a handful of current Cubs who will be instrumental in the team's future and won't be going anywhere.

So here are the 10 players that Epstein will keep and build around for the future.

Tyler Colvin

While the Cubs struggled through the 2010 season, hope was provided in the debuts of top prospects Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin.

Castro build on his rookie season and made his first All-Star appearance in 2011, as he led the National League in hits at just 21 years old.

Colvin, on the other hand, flopped miserably, hitting just .150 BA, 6 HR, 20 RBI in 206 at bats and spending much of the season in Triple-A. That after hitting 20 home runs in just 358 at bats in 2010.

The 2012 season will be a make-or-break one for Colvin, but he has the talent to be the Cubs' first homegrown run producer in years if he can turn things around and return to his 2010 form.

James Russell

The son of former major leaguer Jeff Russell, James was thrown into the fire in 2010 with the bullpen in need of a left-handed arm, and he performed admirably, with a 4.96 ERA in 57 appearances.

A starter in the minors, Russell was given a shot at the rotation in the spring but found himself back in the bullpen to open the season. When injuries struck in the first week, however, he was forced into a starting role.

He then turned in one of the worst five-start stretches in recent memory, going 0-5 with a 9.33 ERA before finding his way back to a relief role.

So why would the Cubs want to hold onto Russell? Well, after returning to the relief role, he appeared in 59 games and posted a stellar 2.19 ERA.

At this point, Russell is a solid lefty reliever, and perhaps down the road, a shot at the rotation could be in order again. But for now, he is a young, low-cost left-hander capable of being a setup man, so there is no reason not to hold onto him.

Darwin Barney

When it comes to Darwin Barney, expectations need to be tempered, but with that said, he is still an important part of the Cubs future.

Fighting for a roster spot in spring training, Barney not only secured a place on the team, but established himself as the team's everyday second baseman. In fact, he was one of the league's most productive rookies in the first half, with 90 hits and a .306 batting average.

That early success put him and Starlin Castro in the spotlight as the double play combination that would anchor the Cubs' offense for the next decade.

The fact is, however, Barney is a 26-year-old with limited upside. His .287 career minor league batting average is likely above what should be expected of him in the big leagues, and he has little power.

Still, he is a good young hitter, and if Cubs fans go into 2012 expecting a .275 average with solid defense and a guy who can handle the bat hitting second in the order, then they will not be disappointed.

Trey McNutt

After the Cubs dealt Minor League Pitcher of the Year Chris Archer last offseason for Matt Garza, Trey McNutt became the organization's top pitching prospect.

A 32nd round pick in the 2009 draft, McNutt came out of nowhere to post a record of 10-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 2010 as he advanced through three levels and eventually reached Double-A at the age of 20.

This season, he spent the entire year at Double-A and went through some growing pains with a 5-6 record and 4.55 ERA in 22 starts. However, he has a bright future and could factor into the Cubs' rotation plans as early as 2013.

Josh Vitters

The Chicago Cubs selected what they figured to be their third baseman of the future when they took Josh Vitters with the third overall selection in the 2007 Draft.

As the first high school position player selected, Vitters was viewed as a future star, and he progressed quickly through the Cubs' system, reaching Double-A at the end of the 2010 season at the age of 20.

However, his 2010 stat line was cause for concern, as he hit just .247 BA, 10 HR, 39 RBI, as he was limited to just 91 games due to injury. That was enough to drop him off the top prospect radar, but he was still among the youngest players at his level of competition.

He bounced back nicely this season, hitting .283 BA, 14 HR, 81 RBI and staying healthy to play in 129 games. Now playing in the Arizona Fall League, Vitters could get a shot at the third base job this spring, but chances are, the team will look for a stopgap option and shoot for 2013 as the year Vitters takes over the hot corner.

Sean Marshall

There weren't a whole lot of bright spots for the Cubs the past few seasons, but the team can boast having one of the best left-handed setup men in all of baseball in Sean Marshall.

After bouncing between the bullpen and rotation his first four seasons in the league and going 19-29 with a 4.55 ERA, Marshall was moved permanently to the bullpen for the 2010 season.

He immediately took to his new role, appearing in 80 games and posting a 2.65 ERA while striking out 90 in 74.2 innings.

This season, he was similarly dominant, appearing in 78 contests with a 2.26 ERA and 79 strike outs in 75.2 innings. Moving forward, the 28-year-old will be counted on to lock down the eighth inning, as he is under team control through 2013.

Brett Jackson

The Chicago Cubs' first round pick in the 2009 draft, Brett Jackson posted a line of .297 BA, 12 HR, 66 RBI with 32 doubles, 14 triples and 30 stolen bases in his first full professional season in 2010, and he entered the 2011 season as the team's top prospect.

He opened the 2011 season in Double-A and eventually worked his way up to Triple-A, ending the season with a combined stat line of .274 BA, 20 HR, 58 RBI, 21 SB at the age of 22.

While he may still be a little ways away from the big leagues, he is the centerfielder of the future and will take over once Marlon Byrd's contract is up at the end of 2012 at the latest. He could very well see some time in Chicago next season as well, and he could be a perennial 20-20 guy with a solid average.

Andrew Cashner

Drafted out of TCU in the first round of the 2008 draft as a closer, Cashner was moved to the rotation upon signing with the Cubs, and after just a season and a half in the minors, he was called up to Chicago to bolster their bullpen.

He went on to appear in 53 games in 2010, posting a 4.80 ERA with an 8.3 K/9 mark. However, his season was better than it looked, and had it not been for a pair of July outings in which he gave up 12 runs in 1.1 innings, his ERA would have been 2.89.

Despite that success in the bullpen, he was moved to the Cubs rotation to start the 2011 season, and in his first start of the season, he went 5.1 innings and gave up one run on two hits. That would be his only start, though, as arm problems landed him on the DL until September. He did look good in six late season relief appearances, giving up one run in 5.1 innings.

Moving forward, he has all the potential in the world and could be a front of the rotation starter if he can avoid injuries and continue to develop his secondary pitches.

Matt Garza

The Cubs pulled the trigger on a huge deal last off season, trading top prospects Chris Archer, Brandon Guyer and Hak-Ju Lee, along with Sam Fuld and Robinson Chirinos, for Rays starter Matt Garza.

Garza was coming off of a season in which he won 15 games with the Rays and posted a 3.91 ERA, and his peripherals were even better this season, as he had a 3.32 ERA and a 9.0 K/9 mark but managed just a 10-10 record.

With Carlos Zambrano on his way out, Matt Garza will be the unquestioned ace of the Cubs' staff in 2012, and after giving up so much to get him and with him under team control until 2014, he will not be going anywhere.

Starlin Castro

Starlin Castro is clearly the man for the Cubs moving forward and will be the face of the franchise for the Epstein era if the team does not land someone like Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.

The 21-year-old is coming off of his second pro season, a season in which he led the league with 207 hits while hitting .307 BA, 10 HR, 66 RBI, 22 SB and making his first All-Star appearance.

It will be interesting to see if his power develops further and if he can shore up his shaky defense at shortstop, but regardless, he will be an integral part of the Cubs future and is as untouchable as anyone in all of baseball.