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Chicago Cubs: Is Garcia in the mix at second base?
The Cubs have their fair share of players locked in around the diamond, but second base still seems up for grabs.
Ian Happ figures to get some time at second, though for now he probably stands a better chance at winning the starting job in center field. David Bote might play a number of positions, though he seems more like a utility guy at this juncture. Nico Hoerner could indeed make the big-league roster after a strong showing last September, but the Cubs rapidly enhanced his development and might prefer him to start the year at Triple-A Iowa.
Northbrook native and former Cleveland Indians stalwart Jason Kipnis has reportedly been added to the mix, though he figures to platoon against right-handed pitchers.
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One name to watch in the race for the job is Robel Garcia.
The 26-year-old looked like he might add some production to the lineup in his early showings, slashing .348/.385/.913 with three homers and six extra-base hits in total. But Garcia’s hot streak quickly tailed off over the rest of July, with his strikeout rate skyrocketing at the end of the month.
Has Garcia made the necessary adjustments in the offseason? If so, he could be a fascinating player for this team.
Garcia had a 43.8 percent strikeout rate in 80 plate appearances last season. However, he also had a hard-hit percentage of 42.1 and a 15.8 barrel percentage, according to Baseball Savant. For someone of his stature, Garcia sure generates a lot of power:
Ro, ro, ro your boat...
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) July 23, 2019
Robel Garcia hits a blast into the bay to give the Cubs an early lead! pic.twitter.com/y5Obn9YBEV
The pop is there, but Garcia will have to show more discipline and a better approach this Spring if he hopes to make the roster come Opening Day.