Chicago Cubs: Sky is the limit for Willson Contreras

Last year Chicago Cubs‘ catcher Willson Contreras was on the verge of MVP status before an August injury. If Contreras is healthy and picks up where he left off last season, he could take the league by storm.

Over the last few seasons when you think of the best catchers in baseball you think Buster Posey, Yadier Molina and Salvador Perez. Well, the Chicago Cubs‘ Willson Contreras is ready for you to add him to the list.

Actually, Contreras doesn’t just want to be mentioned in the conversation, he believes he is ready to be the best catcher in baseball. The Cubs young backstop may have a point.

Contreras sets the league on fire.

In 2016, Contreras burst onto the scene hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues. In his 76 games that season Contreras hit 12 long balls while driving in 35 runs. The young catcher played just as big a role in the Cubs World Series run, recording 10 hits and five RBI.

Contreras became the Cubs everyday catcher last season and he broke out in a big way. He was hitting .274 with 21 home runs and 70 RBI, making a very serious case for himself as not only the top catcher in the league but a potential MVP candidate.

However, amid a hot streak where Contreras homered in four out five games and was named NL Player of the Week he suffered a hamstring injury. His injury put him on 10-day disabled list and forced him to miss about a month of the season, taking him out of consideration for MVP. Contreras was able to return in mid-September just in time for the Cubs playoff run.

What could have been, or what could be?

It would have been interesting to see where Contreras would have landed in the MVP voting had he stayed healthy last season. Maybe we will see what he is capable in 2018.

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This spring, the 25-year-old has hit four absolute moon-shots while batting .320 and driving in eight runs. If he continues to make strides the way he is it won’t be long before he takes the mantle as the best catcher in baseball. But don’t stop there, if Contreras builds off his numbers in 2017 he may just be known as the MVP.