Chicago Cubs: Breakout season has Javier Baez in the mix for NL MVP

Some might be quick to write off Javier Baez in the NL MVP race. But doing so would be folly, given the fact he’s carried the Chicago Cubs this season.

For much of the season, I’ve followed the emergence of Javier Baez as an elite talent in the game with a great deal of interest. But, if I’m being honest, calling the Chicago Cubs infielder a true MVP candidate seemed somewhat far-fetched.

So, I fired up the laptop and dug into the numbers. And what I found changed my mind on the spot. Not only is Javier Baez one of the most potent offensive weapons on the Cubs roster – he’s one of the premier threats in all of baseball, let alone the National League.

Combine his offensive performance to-date with his otherworldly defensive skills and unmatched baseball IQ. What do you have? A game-changing cornerstone who is reshaping what people think about flashy players and what the next generation of baseball might look like.

You might not like that. And, well, that’s just too bad. The game needs more El Mago – and if he can close out a dominant 2018 campaign in a big way, this year’s National League MVP could lead the charge into the future.