Chicago Cubs: Zack Short bringing pizzazz to Iowa

Chicago Cubs: Making the most of his opportunity

The Cubs made many picks in the 2016 Amateur Draft. Aiming mainly to bolster their pitching depth, the team made very few selections of position players. They drafted three shortstops that year, with Short as the first one in the 17th round.

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Short played his college baseball at a private Roman Catholic university in Connecticut called Sacred Heart University. While there he posted impressive numbers, finishing with a career .290/.398/.446 slash line and just a 16.37% strikeout rate.

The best year for Short came during his sophomore season, where he slashed .305/.424/.535 with nine home runs and 38 RBI. He also showed off his quickness by stealing 12 bases. As someone who had not displayed a ton of power the season before, the nine home runs finished as a career high for his college tenure.

When the Cubs selected Short, he received an $80,000 signing bonus and was off to the races. As one of the three shortstops drafted that year by Chicago, the low-risk and potential high-reward played well for both sides.

Chicago Cubs: Arriving with a bang

Chicago sent Short to the Rookie league in Arizona where he tore the cover off the ball in his first professional season. While in the AZL, Short played in 14 games and saw 60 plate appearances. With that opportunity, Short finished his stint by slashing .318/.500/.386 with an outstanding 15.0% strikeout rate, a whopping 23.3% walk rate and a 168 wRC+.

He did not spend much time in the Rookie league before the Cubs promoted Short to Low-A Eugene. Short experienced a drop in his average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage however still managed to post a .366 wOBA with a 118 wRC+ and an even better 14.3% strikeout rate.

Climbing the ladder of success, Short was again promoted at the beginning of the 2017 season, this time to Class-A South Bend. His average stayed consistent; however, Short did display a bit of power, finishing with seven home runs. He also posted a 136 wRC+ while managing to keep his walk rate up and his strikeout rate down.

After 66 games at South Bend, Short earned the call to Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach. He saw a slight decrease in his production however still managed to play above-average and finish his time there with six home runs, and a 124 wRC+.

Chicago Cubs: Impressively consistent

The year and a half for Short have been as consistent as it gets when it comes to moving up the chain toward the Show. In 2018, Short played the entirety of his season at Double-A Tennessee. There he did struggle with his average again, finishing by batting .227, however still managed a .355 wOBA and 123 wRC+.

Of everything that changed in Short’s game, his power impressed the most. He smashed 17 home runs with 59 RBI, stole eight bases, and a posted a 15.6% walk rate. The strikeouts did increase, but it hardly mattered with how his season played out overall.

This season, Short has only six games under his belt at Triple-A Iowa however he has been unbelievable. Through his first 22 plate appearances, Short is slashing .368/.455/.474 with an RBI, a .415 wOBA and 143 wRC+. He has also decreased his strikeout rate by 3.3% from last season. Whether or not these numbers are sustainable, the best possible start for Short at the highest level of Minor League Baseball is a great sign for things to come.

Chicago has many shortstop prospects in their system currently. With the future of one middle infield spot murky, there could be opportunities for Short in the Show sooner rather than later. If that is what the crystal ball foretells for Short, what a ride it will have been for the former 17th round selection.