Chicago Cubs: What is the ceiling for this core group in 2019?

Chicago Cubs: Contreras needs to walk the walk in 2019

On his way to claiming the title, “best catcher in the NL,” Willson Contreras hit a little snag. If he is able to get back to his 2017 ways, he might be back in the conversation. Right now? Not so much.

We know Contreras will be the starting catcher for the Chicago Cubs in 2018.  What we don’t know is if Victor Caratini will be backing him up, or if the Cubs will go with a veteran presence a la 2015/2016/2017.  While it would make sense to go back to a veteran, Caratini did find some success at various points and is only 25 still.

Regardless of the backup options, the question in regards to Cubs’ catching will most definitely be, can Contreras find his stroke and become the All-Star-caliber player everyone saw before his injury in 2017?

If he can, and coupled with his rocket arm, the Cubs would be looking at a 3-4 WAR catcher and a cherry on the top of a talented young core that Theo Epstein has challenged to produce quite publicly.

If all goes well in 2019, expect to have three or four Cubs back in the All-Star Game, a team hungry for more postseason success and one of the game’s best managers leading his team back to another World Series.