How the Chicago Cubs Albert Almora can secure the centerfield job

All winter the Chicago Cubs front office continuously stated that they needed to fix their problems internally.

Well, this spring we’ve seen some changes to Albert Almora Jr.’s swing and batting stance, and it could potentially be a big boost internally for the Chicago Cubs offense in 2019.

Last week, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma wrote about how Almora looks different at the plate this spring (Subscription required), discussing the power he was showing during batting practice.

Sign me up for this. I stated in my last piece about the Cubs potential leadoff candidates that Almora could be an option if he could add more power and patience offensively.

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From what we’ve seen from Almora these last two seasons at the major league level, it’s elite outfield defense, average hitting that has improved over time and a lot of emotion after making some dramatic plays. The only thing missing offensively was any kind of power threat and as an outfielder, the Cubs will welcome more with the likes of Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber.

When I think of Almora’s offense, in short words, I think of a guy who can consistently hit lefties and has seen steady improvement against righties at the major league level in his two full years at the major league level.

Per Fangraphs, in 2017, as more of a part-time player, Almora batted .271 against right-handed pitchers while he mashed an impressive .342 against southpaws. Last season, Almora showed improvement against righties, leading to more at-bats and batted .282 while still succeeding against left-handed pitchers at a .295 clip. Again, thanks to a dreadful second half of the season, he finished with a .684 OPS against right-handed hitters. The lack of power and walks can attest to that OPS. He did manage a healthy .742 OPS against left-handers.

If he can add some power, like Sharma suggests, manufacture more walks and continue to improve against right-handed pitchers, he could reach that level of potential fans, and the front office raved about when Theo Epstein made him a first-round draft pick.

For right now, center field is likely a platoon role between him and Happ. Almora will take that spot if he can achieve the latter. Sharma wrote that Almora worked with Daniel Santiesteban, a friend who was named the hitting coach for an Atlanta Braves’ minor league affiliate in Danville, Va. Almora has known him for 15 years, and Sharma goes on to say that he and his father have changed the outfielder’s batting stance.

“It’s more of a base,” Almora said of his new stance. “If I’m upright and I have a leg kick, the timing has got to be perfect for everything to click. I’ll still have power if everything’s perfect. But if I’m a little wider, I have more leeway with having my bat through the zone longer. I just want to feel strong with every part of my swing.” 

It could just be normal Spring Training batting practice, but if Almora can take this type of hard contact and use it against major league pitching, he can make the Cubs offense that much scarier. Perhaps, with his elite defense, Joe Maddon would have no choice but to play him every day.