Chicago Cubs: Cheap middle infield depth targets the Cubs could pursue

Most of the attention this offseason will focus on the Chicago Cubs and big-name moves. But don’t overlook the smaller, depth-boosting signings.

Contrary to popular belief, the Chicago Cubs upcoming offseason and free agent pursuits will expand beyond the likes of Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.  There will be a number of smaller moves made, the same as in years past. Depth is something a team can never have enough of, especially when there could be some shifting done intended to ready things for bigger moves.

Middle infield depth being added is certainly not out of the question and may be necessary if Addison Russell is gone and/or guys like Ian Happ are traded. Obviously, Machado is the biggest infielder on the market, but if they do not go after him, the Cubs can still look at cheap options to play behind Javier Baez, Ben Zobrist and Happ.

Cheap depth options in this area would not be the most exciting or eye-popping moves, but still have meaning. We would be looking at guys who would potentially sign one to two-year deals at under $10 million. Biggest strengths would be their gloves and not necessarily their bats, kind of like backup catcher moves. They could come in late for defense and start a decent amount of games, despite not topping out the depth chart. These are some free agent options to possibly look at.

Chicago Cubs: Jose Iglesias an underrated asset

The Detroit Tigers might be looking at some younger options in the middle of their infield during their forthcoming rebuild. Jose Iglesias, 28, is a veteran shortstop who has a very good glove, is a solid baserunner and has a decent bat for his position. A career .270/.315/.363 hitter, Iglesias has played in roughly 125 to 130 games the past four seasons, but can still be relatively cheap.

Last season he made $6.750 million in 2018 on a one-year deal and made $4.1 million in 2017. The demand for him will not necessarily be high despite his being a solid player, and it is very hard to imagine him getting a big deal in 2019. His value was highest in 2015 when he was an All-Star. That year, he hit .300/.347/.370, but has not put up numbers like that since. Over the last three seasons, he carries a .259/.301/.364 slash line.

Will he be willing to embrace a lesser role with the Chicago Cubs? Are there other teams who view Iglesias as an everyday player, which could help him net a larger contract? And, if he does come to the North Side, would it mean Javier Baez seeing more time at second or a position change for Iglesias?

Questions surrounding him would be if he wants to embrace a lesser role with the Cubs and who else would need a guy like him even more. Iglesias playing games at short would see more games for Javy at second.

Chicago Cubs: Jordy Mercer a versatile and solid middle man

The Cubs have seen plenty of veteran Jordy Mercer over the years in their games against the Pirates. Mercer, now 32, could be seeking a new home as the Pirates have a pool of young guys looking toward the future. The nice thing about him is his versatility as he can play second and shortstop, something the Cubs really like.

Mercer is a career .256/.315/.381 hitter in 821 big league games. Pretty much around average, but he is not terrible. His glove is not Earth-shattering, but he can fill in from time to time.

If the Pirates do not bring him back, he will probably be available for pretty cheap. Hard to picture a team signing him with the intention of making him the everyday guy, unless they are a rebuilding team looking for a sign-and-flip veteran.

Last season he made $6.750 million and made only around $500K annually his first few seasons before making $2.075 million in 2016.

Chicago Cubs: Andrew Romine can fill in all over the diamond

Let’s get one thing straight. This is a guy to consider for his glove and glove only. Andrew Romine has the ability to play all over the infield and outfield. Statistically, his most successful infield position is second base as he holds a career 7.6 UZR/150, with three seasons of having at least a 15 UZR/150. It is also worth noting he has a career 12.3 UZR/150 between all outfield positions.

The outfield is pretty crowded in Chicago as-is, so a guy like Romine would be brought in mainly for infield depth, though the versatility is nice to have. He will not hit for you, he is a .235/.291/.301 hitter, so you’d only see him when Joe Maddon wanted to give a guy a blow or, perhaps, as a late-game defensive replacement.

He will not be seeking big money. Last season he made $1.05 million with the Mariners and will certainly not be seeking an everyday role. He appeared in over 110 games once in his career. Of all the options listed, he is the cheapest. The Cubs love versatile guys, but ones with little bat make this option worth a look but not necessarily likely.