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Chicago Cubs: Impactful infielder of the future?
At every possible corner and each turn, I rack my brain when it comes to the Cubs and their infield. Not right now, of course, as the trite trio of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez carry the load. The challenge currently residing in the confines of Wrigley is, of course, second base. Enter Ronny Simon.
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Simon joined the Cubs in July of 2018 after the club signed him to a minor league contract. As a current 19-year-old, Simon has been much better in his second season than he was in his first. During Simon’s rookie season in the Dominican Summer League, he struggled mightily to a .185/.321/.262 slash line with zero home runs and five RBI.
In that stretch, Simon’s strikeouts were through the roof, and his wRC+ was horrendously underperforming. Amazing what a single year can do to make a difference. This past season, Simon crushed the competition. In 54 games, Simon slashed .333/.411/.571 with three home runs and 28 RBI. His wOBA jumped from .306 up to .460, while Simon’s wRC+ rose from 83 to 164.
Simon is similar to Pinango in size, if not a bit smaller. Still, as a 19-year-old, there is time for Simon to get stronger and broader if he so chooses. The speed of Simon may be the strength of speed for which he displays. According to Fangraphs, Simon posted a 7.6-speed score rating, which is the upper percentile. If Simon can keep that speed but turn into a ten to fifteen home run guy, he could develop into a lethal weapon.