Arismendy Alcantara: What’s next for the Cubs outfielder?

Arismendy Alcantara could be the key to the Chicago Cubs having a successful offseason and while he’s a very capable ballplayer, his future with the team remains uncertain.

‘Mendy’ broke onto the scene mid-season last year, joining the big league club for a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds during the first days of July. He made his impact felt almost immediately with four hits in his second big league game and even though he cooled off towards the end of the season, it was clear he was a diamond in the rough that could bring a lot of joy to the Cubs’ fan base as soon as next year.

With that being said, it’s a mystery where he’ll play – and that’s if the 23-year-old is still a member of the organization by Opening Night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Alcantara has a lot of positive things going on for him on offense and even though his slash line of .205/.254/.367 is nothing to be excited about, he certainly passes the eye test. He had a rough stretch but improved toward the final weeks of the season. He connected on 10 home runs in 300 plate appearances and when he was locked in, he looked like he had the tools in every single trip to the plate.

His defense is something more of a concern as he was forced to play the outfield and he had to learn it on the fly at the big league level. He was an infielder through his entire MiLB career – seeing time at both second base and shortstop – and while he certainly is a capable defender there, it seems as if his future with the Cubs is likely in the outfield unless one of Addison Russell, Javier Baez or Starlin Castro gets traded during this offseason.

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Alcantara certainly has value in the fact that he’s a young player who’s cost-controlled for several years and he also possesses a skill set that allows him to impact the game either as a starter or coming off the bench. He could be destined for a super-sub role under the tutelage of Joe Maddon – much like Ben Zobrist this past season with the Tampa Bay Rays – but he could also be used as trade bait if the Cubs decide to try to acquire a pitcher like Jordan Zimmermann, Mat Latos or David Price, just to name a few.

Wherever Alcantara ends up, there’s little question he’s going to be a solid ballplayer. The main doubt regarding his future is if he’ll reach his ceiling at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.