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

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.