Chicago Cubs: Week two spring training report

Making a Case for the Roster

While the first week provided limited clarity, major league level pitching is beginning to come more into play as the spring progresses. Where starters were getting a handful of outs, they are now seeing multiple innings of work and fringe players are given fewer chances to make their case. The result is a more “meaningful” set of results that management can begin to use to determine how the roster will look come April.

For Chicago, it has become increasingly clear that two position players are emerging. David Bote continues to perform to a level that is getting him noticed in camp. His .303/.361/.444 line has him now seeing a more regular look. Where he was once a roster longshot, he may at the very least now be on the short list of early season call ups should he not break camp with the big league club.

As solid as Bote’s play has been, another roster outsider, Mike Freeman, has been borderline spectacular. Freeman leads all qualified players in both batting average (.560) and on-base percentage (.621). He has played solid defense and has not yet looked overmatched, even against top tier starting pitching.