For Cubs to compete, these 5 must produce
This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
Those items ought to assist strengthen the roster in numerous methods, however breakout showings from some in-house items would actually assist. Here are 5 gamers already in hand who might decide the trajectory of the North Siders in 2023.
1. Seiya Suzuki
There have been loads of challenges for Suzuki to navigate in his first Major League season in 2022. Not solely did he need to study new pitchers and supply types, however the Cubs’ outfielder needed to alter to journey, totally different time zones, a brand new metropolis, language boundaries and extra. He burst onto the scene (.934 OPS in April) and completed robust (.847 OPS in his final month) and encountered harm setbacks and a midseason adjustment interval as pitchers realized his tendencies. Suzuki ought to higher know what to anticipate and the way to deal with it in ’23, setting him up for a possible breakout. That would do wonders for Chicago’s lineup.
2. Justin Steele
Steele already loved a breakout exhibiting of kinds in 2022, however well being setbacks restricted him to 24 begins and 119 innings. In ’23, the Cubs may gain advantage from having him develop right into a rotation workhorse. The 27-year-old lefty had a 3.18 ERA and was within the ninety fifth percentile in barrel fee (3.9 p.c). He was stellar from June to August, posting a 2.05 ERA in that span. That trailed solely Dylan Cease (1.47 ERA), Justin Verlander (1.72 ERA) and Julio Urías (1.97 ERA) within the Majors in that stretch (min. 70 IP).
3. Christopher Morel
In an ideal world, the Cubs would construct up sufficient depth to the place Morel can fill in as a brilliant utility man till he higher establishes himself as an on a regular basis participant. The energetic and thrilling Morel bounced everywhere in the diamond in 2022 (second, quick, third, middle and left) and was excellent throughout May and June (.836 OPS) earlier than a late-season slide (.667 OPS from July on). The additions of Bellinger and Swanson ought to assist Chicago discover the most effective days and matchups to get probably the most out of Morel as he continues to study and develop.
4. Adbert Alzolay
Alzolay may very well be a solution for a Cubs bullpen crammed with query marks. The righty returned from a season-long shoulder subject in September and was electrical down the stretch as a multi-inning reliever. His velocity was up, and the small-sample success was spectacular (19 strikeouts vs. two walks in 13 1/3 innings). For his MLB profession, Alzolay has a 2.32 ERA with 55 strikeouts and 11 walks in 42 2/3 innings as a reliever (18 video games), in comparison with a 5.19 ERA in 130 innings (27 video games) with 134 strikeouts vs. 47 walks as a starter.
5. Hayden Wesneski
Acquired from the Yankees for reliever Scott Effross final season, the 25-year-old Wesneski opened eyes along with his late-season audition. In six video games (4 begins), the righty spun a 2.18 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 7 walks in 33 innings. There is not any assure Wesneski (MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 Cubs prospect) cracks the Opening Day roster, however there’s a big alternative for him to grab a rotation job.
