Chicago Cubs: Five underrated players who could make the All-Star Team

#5: Willson Contreras

A great rookie season brings hope for a solid future. In 2016, catcher Willson Contreras came to the Chicago Cubs as a band aid to cover the hole left by Montero’s injury. He launched a home run in his first MLB at-bat. After ten games, he batted .370/.485/.741, with three home runs, nine RBI, and five runs scored. Needless to say, he stayed put in Chicago.

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This spring, Contreras is proving that he can handle the bat well. To this point, he is hitting for a .326 average with four doubles, three home runs and nine runs scored. The one area of concern for the young catcher is strikeouts. In his rookie campaign, Contreras struck out 25 percent of the time. That trend is continuing this spring with 10 strikeouts in 43 at-bats.

The other dimension of Contreras’ game that adds concern to opponents is his defense. This spring, he has nabbed 46 percent of would-be base stealers. That stat was 37 percent in 2016, above the league average. The weapon of his arm in combination with the tagging abilities of Javier Baez is an asset no other team can boast.

What helps Contreras in terms of making the All-Star game is the depth at the position in the National League. Buster Posey is still around and is likely to make it a fifth All-Star appearance. Other 2016 All-Stars, Wilson Ramos and Matt Lucroy, are in the American League now. Matt Wieters joining the Nationals may be a tough player to beat, as is the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina.

However, at this point, Contreras is the number two-rated catcher in the NL in terms of fantasy leagues. It is a good start.

#4: Carl Edwards, Jr.

The string-bean with a mean arm is listed as the #24 fantasy relief pitcher in the NL according to Fantasy Pros. While he does not appear intimidating on the mound, what comes out of his right arm is certainly lethal. His fastball averages just above 95 MPH, but can reach 97-98 MPH at times. Add a curveball that moves 9.3 inches at a speed of 80.7 MPH, and you have batters off balance.

Carl Edwards was one of the pitchers manager Joe Maddon referred to last postseason as a player he trusted out of the pen. The importance of this only grew given Hector Rondon’s late season struggles.

You can look at the stats from the World Series and the 6.75 ERA jumps out. But, in 2 2/3 innings, Edwards allowed two runs. One of those was in a 1-0 loss, the other in the bottom of the 10th in Game 7. Had there not been defensive indifference allowing Brandon Guyer to take second base, maybe Edwards pitches the last out the World Series.

This spring has been solid for Edwards, allowing only four hits and one earned run. Should his arm stay healthy, his name will be called upon to hold games in place. With batters only hitting .120 against his skinny right arm, success is on the horizon. It could be enough for an All-Star selection.

#3: Mike Montgomery

Rated just behind Edwards in the fantasy ranking is Mike Montgomery. Was there a better acquisition for the Chicago Cubs by the 2016 trade deadline? I submit there was not. Here is why:

• Added a solid lefty to the bullpen, allowing for more matchup opportunities.
• His ability to pitch multiple innings filled the gap from the fifth to seventh as needed.
• The fact that he possess four pitches in his arsenal keeps batters guessing.
• He added depth to the rotation, allowing for fresher arms in the postseason.

Montgomery will start this season in the bullpen, a role he filled well for the Cubs in 2016. In 38 1/3 innings, he struck out 38 batters and allowed 12 earned runs. Furthermore, on the biggest stage of the baseball world, Montgomery flourished. Outside of a rough outing versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, he was the best statical relief pitcher for the team in the playoffs.

Like Edwards, Maddon trusts Montgomery. He is only 27, but his experience and ability make him a valuable commodity. With Travis Wood no longer on the team, Montgomery is a favorite utility pitcher for the team.

#2: Kyle Schwarber

Anyone who pays attention to baseball knows about Kyle Schwarber. The home run power. The mythological levels of hype which the Chicago Cubs fans place upon the young slugger rivals that of Thor. Having yet to play a full season, he is still the #14 fantasy outfielder in the NL.

Is seems like a no-brainer to say Schwarber could reach the All-Star game in 2017. But batting leadoff is not easy. He will need to take pitches and be patient. This will allow Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo chances to watch pitches from the side. Oh wait. He already does that, averaging 3.9 pitches per at-bat. His walks in addition to his hits in the World Series proved his patience at the plate. Not playing for the entire season and watching pitches go by takes courage.

Should Schwarber stay healthy, a 30-plus home run season is possible. Even 40 is within his swing. But, what the Cubs need if for his to hit doubles. Immediately get on base and in scoring position for Bryant and Rizzo. So far this spring, he does not have a double, but does have two triples and three home runs. It is a good start.

#1: Albert Almoa, Jr.

Attempting to fill the largest vacancy on the Chicago Cubs is Albert Almora Jr. Letting Dexter Fowler walk away from the team was based on two things: money and Almora. Defensively, there is no doubt that the young center fielder is better than his predecessor. Offensively, there is much to prove.

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Fowler was an on-base and run machine for the Cubs. Over 12.5 percent of all runs scored in the last two season game when Fowler crossed the plate. Hitting a few home runs helped, but so did 54 doubles and 15 triples in those seasons. Can Almora do those things as well? Maybe.

In 2016, Almora hit nine doubles in 112 at-bats. That is a higher percentage than Fowler. As a matter of fact, if you stretched Almora’s stats out over the same amount of at-bats, he hits more doubles, triples, and home runs than Fowler. And, the latter was voted the starting center fielder for the NL last year, although he did not play.

This spring, we witnessed what Almora can do. Hitting for average, home runs, doubles and stealing a few bases make him an offensive threat. Now, center field is his position to lose on Opening Day.

His range on defense will help limit what Schwarber will cover. His aggressiveness on the bags won the World Series for the Cubs in the last game. “You go, we go” is no more. Now, it is all about Almora.

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