Chicago Cubs: Will Albert Almora be the Cubs’ everyday center fielder soon?

The Chicago Cubs are only two series into the 2017 season and center fielder Albert Almora Jr. is already making his presence felt.

When the Chicago Cubs signed outfielder Jon Jay in November of 2016, it was officially goodbye for former Cubs lead-off man and center fielder Dexter Fowler. After Fowler’s departure, the plan seemed to be that the Cubs would platoon Jay and Albert Almora, while also giving Jason Heyward some time in center field.

But after just five games, Almora already looks ahead of the pack. The young outfielder has made two starts in center field for the Cubs and has gone 4-for-7 at the plate. This was highlighted by his performance on Saturday night when he went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Defense is the name of the game

Since being drafted by the Cubs in 2012, Almora has been touted for his defensive ability. Only 49 games into his career, the 22-year-old is living up to those expectations. In 246 innings played since being called up, he hasn’t committed a single error.

To this point, Almora has demonstrated that he’s going to make all the plays he’s supposed to make, and then some. On Tuesday, he made a leaping catch over the center field wall at Busch Stadium to deny St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Adams of a home run.

The Cubs are a team that prides itself on solid fielding, and the dependability of Albert Almora in the outfield only strengthens Chicago’s already-spectacular defense.

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Obstacles for Almora

There are two factors keeping Almora from being the everyday center fielder right now: his offense and the presence of Javier Baez.

Almora is off to a good start at the plate, but he still has some developing to do with the bat. In 2016, he slashed .277/.308/.455 with three home runs and 14 RBI. Those are respectable numbers from a 22-year-old rookie, but as a center fielder, you’d like to see him improve on his .308 OBP from last season. With only a 4.3 walk percentage in 2016, Almora will need to show more patience at the plate this season if wants to get the lion’s share of time in center field.

While offensive development might be under Almora’s control, roster complications are not. Just as Almora seeks to become a regular in the outfield, Javier Baez is beginning to take on a larger role at second base for the Cubs.

Generally, when Baez starts at second, utility man Ben Zobrist will be starting in right field. When this is the case, and it will be quite frequently this season, Joe Maddon will have to decide between Almora, Heyward and Jay to play center field. Jason Heyward is almost always going to be in the starting lineup. His defensive prowess is just too valuable to have on the bench. And it’s reasonable to assume he’ll improve at the plate this year (it would be hard to do worse).

Outlook in 2017

There are some other things to consider here as well. Zobrist’s value is in his versatility defensively while swinging an above average bat. But at 35 years old, he may start to see slightly less playing time. This could make way for younger guys like Almora and Baez who expect to see more prominent roles this season.

Be that as it may, Baez is not a lock to succeed in a larger role. Like Almora, his defense is always above average, but he can be rather inconsistent at the plate. In 2016, Baez struck out 24 percent of the time while walking just 3.3 percent of the time. If he struggles at the plate for extended periods of time this season, it could continue to be Zobrist’s gig at second base. If that’s the case, Almora would likely get more chances to start in center field.

Next: Offense comes alive as Cubs beat Brewers 11-6

Defensively, Almora in center and Heyward in right might be the Cubs’ best outfield alignment. Even with a loaded roster, Almora’s play may force Maddon to get him in the lineup more often. If his offensive production continues to trend in the right direction, he may very well find the center field job to be his before too long.