Chicago Cubs: A look at the projected 2016 starting lineup

Oct 12, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman

(44) celebrates after hitting solo home run during the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the NLDS at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

First Base: Anthony Rizzo

It wouldn’t feel right if I led off with another player, considering that he’s the heart and soul of this young organization. Rizzo began as the original building block to Epstein’s plan and has grown right before our very eyes.

Not only is he the cornerstone of this club, but he’s proven to be one of Chicago’s all-around favorite players because of what he does for the community. From visiting sick kids to holding charity events or giving things away on twitter, people love Anthony Rizzo.

More from Chicago Cubs News

• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
• Justin Steele has evolved into a frontline starter for the Cubs
• The future of first base is murky right now for the Cubs

The 26-year-old left-handed hitter made several highlight plays on the defensive side of the ball and placed himself in the N.L. MVP race behind Washington Nationals outfielder, Bryce Harper.

In 160 at-bats, Rizzo helped lift this club with 31 homers, 101 RBI, 31 doubles, three triples, 163 hits, and 17 steals while hitting .278/.387/.512. He was competing with his fellow third baseman, who later won N.L. Rookie of the Year honors.

And now that Castro is officially out-of-town, that means Rizzo is the team’s longest-tenured player. There’s no doubt that the first person who needs to be allowed to hoist that World Series trophy (when the time comes), is Rizzo.

Of course, he’s expected to put up another monster season and could pass up Harper for his first N.L. MVP award at the end of the 2016 campaign.

Next: Old Faces, New Places

Dec 9, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Chicago Cubs newly signed infielder

speaks at a press conference during the MLB winter meetings at Gaylord Opryland Resort. Mandatory Credit:

-USA TODAY Sports

Second Base: Ben Zobrist

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, it was sad to hear that Castro’s time with the Chicago Cubs had officially run its course. This franchise has so many trade pieces available, it just so happened to be their six-year veteran who was on the chopping block.

But as most say, out with the old, in with the new. Which opened the door for former Tampa Bay Ray, Oakland Athletic, and Kansas City Royals utility man, Ben Zobrist.

Most of you know that the 34-year-old spent most of his career in Tampa Bay under Joe Maddon and bench coach Dave Martinez. He’s not that much of a threat when he’s in the batter’s box, but his glove and experience at other positions across the diamond make up for the lack of power.

It was surprising to hear that he opted to reunite with Maddon on the North Side of Chicago having an offer with more money on the table. He is, however, from Eureka, Illinois which is a little over two hours away from the Windy City in which he now has the opportunity to win his second World Series title with.

He ended the 2015 campaign with 13 homers, 56 RBI, 36 doubles, 129 hits, and three triples while slashing .276/.359/.450 between the Athletics and Royals. Not to mention, he started 16 playoff games for the defending champs.

Next: A Solid Replacement

Sep 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop

(22) throws to first base during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Shortstop: Addison Russell

Before the Chicago Cubs traded away Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics, they already had the best farm system in all of professional baseball. But things got a whole lot better when they acquired two major pieces. 

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
• Justin Steele has evolved into a frontline starter for the Cubs
• The future of first base is murky right now for the Cubs

This is where Addison Russell comes into play. The 21-year-old Florida-native quickly climbed through Chicago’s minor league circuit, eventually making his big league debut just a year after he was traded away from the Athletics.

Things weren’t as great when he was named the team’s everyday second baseman, but his defense improved when he took over the shortstop job following Starlin Castro’s demotion to the bench.

In 84 starts at second, Russell turned in a fielding percentage of .977 behind nine errors, 151 put outs, 226 assists, and 47 double plays. Despite still committing errors, Russell limited his total to only four while fielding .981 across 53 starts.

Meanwhile, in the batter’s box, he pulled through with 13 homers, 54 RBI, 29 doubles, one triple, 42 walks, but only managed to swipe four bags on top of a .242/.307/.389 line.

He was one of many who made their postseason debut, playing in four games until he injured himself while legging out a triple against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was later announced that Russell would not be available to play during the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets and may have missed the World Series as well.

Russell is currently on a mission to make a strong return.

Next: N.L. Rookie of the Year

Oct 7, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman

(17) throws to first base against the buck during the sixth inning in the National League Wild Card playoff baseball game at PNC Park. The Cubs won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Third Base: Kris Bryant

What can I say about this player that no one else has already said? Chicago’s former first-round draft pick turned in a fantastic Cactus League performance, only to find himself with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs to start off the season.

He made his big league debut against James Shields and San Diego Padres, eventually turning into the young stud we all heard about since he was drafted.

Whenever this young man was in the batter’s box, he was aiming to destroy the new video board at Wrigley Field. While Bryant appeared to be comfortable hitting the cover off the baseball at the Friendly Confines, only a handful of his offensive stats came while playing on the road.

In 292 at-bats on the road, Bryant only managed to hit five homers, 40 RBI, one triple, 17 doubles, 71 hits and struck out 110 times while hitting just .243/.333/.360. He led the team and majors with a total of 199 strikeouts.

Nonetheless, Maddon’s N.L. Rookie of the Year finished the season with 26 homers and 99 RBI, eclipsing previous marks that were set by Billy Williams back in 1961, possibly becoming the greatest Cubs rookie of all-time.

Next: The Incredible Hulk

October 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder

(12) reacts after he hits a solo home run in the seventh inning against St. Louis Cardinals in game four of the NLDS at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Left Field: Kyle Schwarber

When the Chicago Cubs went out and drafted Kyle Schwarber, I wasn’t expecting to see him make his big league debut until at least 2016-2017. Boy, was I way off on that prediction.

The 22-year-old catcher/left fielder was called up during Father’s Day week when it was time for the North Siders to take on the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins. He was called into the game against the Indians before making his official debut as their designated hitter.

Not only did he hit the ground running, but he finished the night 3-for-5 with a triple in his second big league at-bat and followed that up with a home run in front of family and friends the very next day.

Despite missing the first few months of the 2015 campaign, Schwarber ended up with 16 big flies and 43 RBI. His biggest performance of the regular season came when he hit a game-tying and go-ahead homer against the Cincinnati Reds, helping his club walk away with a late night road victory.

It was one of three games in which he recorded two homers. He’s done it to the Milwaukee Brewers, then the Philadelphia Phillies in one of the biggest parks in the game.

Schwarber missed a little bit of playing time after he made a diving attempt in left field which resulted in him injuring his ribs. The rib injury put him on the shelf for at least five games.

His biggest at-bat of his career came during the National League Division Series when most thought he sent a pitch into orbit. In fact, the ball landed on top of the video board in right field where it was encased and tended too by someone who was escorted by a security guard for its protection.

There’s no telling how long Schwarber will stay in left field, but there’s no way he ends up on the bench with that much power in his bat.

Next: If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them

Aug 7, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward (22) reacts after driving in a run with a base hit in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Center Field: Jason Heyward

This offseason proved to be, if not, better than last year that reeled in southpaw Jon Lester and N.L. Manager of the Year, Joe Maddon. Even though Dexter Fowler will end up playing elsewhere, Epstein and Hoyer found a reliable replacement to fill a gap in the depth chart.

Heyward made his big league debut against his new team back in 2010, homering off Carlos Zambrano in a huge 16-5 Atlanta Braves win on Opening Day. He finished the opening month with six homers and 19 RBI, leading his club to a postseason match-up against the N.L. Rookie of the Year at the time, Buster Posey and his San Francisco Giants.

For those worrying about his primary position, he did enter the league as a primary right fielder but has experience in center. Yes, he’s only made 30 starts at the position in his five-year career, but he’ll enter the season as the everyday center fielder for the North Siders.

In those 30 starts (32 combined appearances), his glove is perfect, having two assists, one double play, and 54 put outs. If anything, there’s a chance he’ll swap positions, allowing Soler to either move to left, sending Chris Coghlan into center depending on Joe’s lineup changes.

We all know how he loves to mix things up from time-to-time, so don’t worry just yet, Cubs fans. At least, they have another solid defender out there who can get on base.

Next: Soler Power

Aug 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder

(68) hits a two run RBI single during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Right Field: Jorge Soler

Could you imagine what this 23-year-old outfielder would have done if he hadn’t missed nearly two months of action due to a couple of injuries? Sure, he started off a bit slow, but he turned a bunch of heads during the opening round of the postseason against the Cardinals.

During the regular season, Soler managed to only record 10 big flies while driving in 47 runs behind a combined 96 hits in 366 at-bats. Shortly after returning from his first stint on the disabled list, Soler put together a six-game hitting streak and another 10-game hitting streak before ending up on the shelf for the second time

Shortly after returning from his first stint on the disabled list, Soler put together a six-game hitting streak and another 10-game hitting streak before ending up on the shelf for the second time in late August.

He seized an opportunity in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, drawing a walk in his first post-season appearance. Soler came back the next day, going 2-for-2 with a double, home run, two RBI, and another two walks as the Chicago Cubs prepared to host their first postseason game at Wrigley Field since the 2008 campaign.

It’s just been awhile since the Cubs actually won a playoff game in front of their home crowd, but Soler would help change that. He sent another pitch to the bleachers, reaching base safely nine times in a row.

New York even got a taste of Soler when he went 3-for-4 with two doubles in the elimination game at Wrigley Field. His postseason batting line stood at .474/.600/1.105 which is freakishly good for a team that was swept.

If he can manage to stay healthy, expect Soler to really take off into orbit in 2016.

Next: Bailando

Sep 7, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher

(47) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Catcher: Miguel Montero

In case, you’re confused as to why I titled this slide ‘Bailando’ — it’s referring to his walk-up song which is performed by Enrique Iglesias. Each player has their own unique song that plays before they step into the batter’s box and Venezuelan-born catcher just so happened to pick this one, which is catchy by the way.

Montero was acquired by the Cubs in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

They’ve been looking to upgrade behind the dish for a while and the move opened the door for the Cubs to trade away Welington Castillo to the Seattle Mariners. He later found his way with the Diamondbacks and finished the year strong himself.

Montero, like a handful of Cubs in 2015, ended a game with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers. For the first time in over two years, Miguel reached the 15 home run mark but fell well short of his career-high in RBI by wrapping up the 2015 campaign with only 53.

The nine-year veteran also caught his second career no-hitter when ace right-hander Jake Arrieta pitched his first-ever no-no on Sunday Night Baseball in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

The 32-year-old was behind the dish when former Cub and teammate Edwin Jackson did so when they were both in Arizona back in 2010. There was a rumor going around about the Cubs possibly looking to upgrade at the catcher’s position again, but nothing came of it.

He’s still ahead of David Ross on the depth chart and will likely continue to split playing time with the 38-year-old and left fielder, Kyle Schwarber.

Next: Three Headed Dragon

Sep 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) celebrates with pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) after a complete game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The Cubs won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

And last but not least, you have the starting rotation which will feature N.L. Cy Young winner, Jake Arrieta. With the addition of Lackey, this rotation looks a lot stronger than it was in 2015.

Right-hander Jason Hammel wasn’t the same ever since he hurt his back early in the year which revealed consistency issues that leaked over into the playoffs. The bottom half of the rotation is currently up for grabs and could come down to Hammel, Kyle Hendricks, Clayton Richard, and possibly Travis Wood to fight it out for No. 4 and No. 5 during Cactus League play.

Japanese-born Tsuyoshi Wada was released as he made his return back to his homeland to pitch again.

Jon Lester still has some improvement to make beginning in training camp when it comes to pick-off moves and throwing to the bases after fielding a play. He did, however, have a hilarious play in which the ball was stuck in his glove, resulting in him removing it and tossing it over to Rizzo for an out.

Many are concerned that Arrieta could end up slipping following his strong Cy Young campaign. The 29-year-old ace finished the year with a 1.77 ERA, 22-6 record, 0.86 WHIP, and a 236/48 K/BB ratio across 229 innings of work.

He’s still under team control, but could receive a long-term deal as soon as 2017. That may not sit well with his agent, Scott Boras, who is also representing Kris Bryant.

But for right now, Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs are focused on ending this infamous championship drought.