Arismendy Alcantara could turn into Cubs’ own Jose Reyes

You can’t help but compare recent or up-and-coming players to those who are in their prime and getting ready to exit the league. It doesn’t matter who you are or what position you play in whatever sport, your style is going to be matched up to someone else who has made a name for themselves.

This is a great way for people to understand who you are and what you have to offer once you reach the top of the mountain – no matter the sport. Now, we experienced a great deal of excitement last season with all the rookies that we’ve been hearing about for a couple years now and the scary thing is, there’s more where that came from.

More from Chicago Cubs News

• Cubs need to walk the walk this winter after talking the talk
• Alec Mills shocked Cubs fans, baseball world with 2020 no-hitter
• Cubs: After season of adjustments, Seiya Suzuki primed for monster 2023
• Projecting the 2023 Cubs Opening Day lineup
• Cubs: 2022 season a ‘success,’ according to Tom Ricketts

In this case, I know some of you will agree, our very own Arismendy Alcantara reminds me of a younger Jose Reyes in many ways (and always wears the same jersey number). So with that being said, let’s take a quick look at their first year stats starting with the veteran Reyes.

Reyes made his debut with the New York Mets back in 2003 and played in 69 games, all at shortstop. The switch hitting Reyes finished his rookie campaign with 84 hits, 12 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 32 RBIs and 13 stolen bases with a batting line of .307/.334/.434 while fielding at a .973 clip.

Alcantara has displayed more pop in his bat as he launched 10 home runs but fell short of Reyes’ mark in RBIs (29), hits (52), doubles (11) and batting line (.205/.254/.367) in just 70 games with the Cubs in 2014. The only difference between the two in Arismendy’s first year in the league, is that he’s received more playing time in the outfield than he has picked up in the infield.

The young 23-year-old Dominican Republic born utility man picked up 48 starts in center field in just as many games, while picking up some playing time at second base while Darwin Barney was away – and after Starlin Castro was injured, shifting Javier Baez over to shortstop. He fielded a solid .989 while starting 21 of 25 games and one error at second, compared to five errors in center field and a lower fielding percentage of .958.

This past season with the Blue Jays, the 11-year vet recorded nine home runs and 51 RBIs on a batting line of .287/.328/.398 as Toronto finished third in the AL East.

As time went on, the offensive numbers produced by Reyes would flex while his fielding would stay about the same each year. His biggest year inside the batters box came four years after his debut where he set a then career high 194 hits, 19 home runs and 81 RBIs but also managed to strikeout 81 times – a flaw in Alcantara’s game as he struck out 93 times.

Right now it’s hard to say where this young man will be heading, either with the Cubs or in the majors since anything could happen. The amount of talent down on the farm for this organization is only going to get thicker which means he’s going to have to convince this team that he’s a piece of their winning puzzle.

Jose Reyes played nine years with the Mets. Alcantara has the opportunity to do the same, but with the sleeping giant known as the Cubs.