Cubs: Potential depth players impressing this spring

Depth will be important for the Cubs in 2021 if they want a consistent offense.

One could look through pages of stats and trends to try to figure out why the Chicago Cubs offense has lost the consistency it had in 2016. Among many reasons is a simple fact that positional depth has not been as strong. If there is any hope of getting the offense back to being more consistent, the depth is going to have to produce better at the plate.

So far this spring the Cubs are seeing a lot of good offensive performances from the top to the bottom of the order. A lot of attention has been paid to Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ and newcomer Joc Pederson’s performances, and rightfully so. Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras have also swung the stick well in Arizona.

There are several depth guys who are also swinging it well this spring. Some of the final spots on the Opening Day roster need to be filled and there is some stiff competition at hand. Other depth pieces know they will be on the roster, but the question is where and how often they will be used. Having depth that can be relied on is incredibly important and hopefully their strong springs can translate into the regular season.

No, spring training is not always the best indicator of what a player will be over a long 162-game campaign. However, seeing some of these guys swing well at least gives us more confidence in them for the time being. Here are the notable depth guys having good springs so far.

Cubs: David Bote will play – the question is where and when

Cubs fans know by now what utilityman David Bote is capable of doing. He is able to play all over the infield when needed and can contribute with the bat. Bote can get on base and drive the ball out of the ballpark when needed. While “clutch” is kind of an arbitrary stat, he has come up with some huge hits in his Cubs career.

This spring he is hitting .306/.375/.694 with three home runs, three doubles and 1.069 OPS. He recently had a multi-home run game against the Reds on March 21. The ball has been exploding off the bat and the approach has looked very good.

Bote so far in his MLB career sports as .240/.338/.415 slash with 24 home runs and .753 OPS in 246 games. Right now on the depth chart he is listed primarily as a second baseman, but it looks like Nico Hoerner will make the roster as well.

He will still get his fair share of playing time at different positions, and having that versatility is nice. If Bote is not in the starting lineup he is one of the first people off the bench in a pinch-hit situation.

Cubs: Veteran jack-of-all-trades Eric Sogard is making a strong impression

Eric Sogard came in on a minor league deal before spring began and has been in camp with the Cubs. Although in camp, he is not on the 40-man roster. The veteran utilityman has been in the majors since 2010 and has spent most of his career with the Oakland A’s and Milwaukee Brewers. He is a career .246/.316/.340 hitter in 737 games and is one of those players who has been “on/off” in terms of year-by-year performance.

He has made the most of his time in Spring training. So far in 10 games played he has hit .360/.448/.520 with a .968 OPS. Nine hits in 25 at bats and four walks.

Whether or not he makes the Opening Day roster remains to be seen, but he is making a possible case. He is nice depth to have if he continues to hit decently, and it is worth noting he has started games this spring so it is not like he has only faced scrub pitching. He will be playing for one of the last, if not the last, spots on the roster in terms of position players.

Another infield depth player who got some playing time with the Cubs in 2020.

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Ildemaro Vargas is currently on the team’s 40-man roster, giving him a possible leg up on making the roster. Vargas played in 14 games in 2020 between the Diamondbacks, Twins and Cubs. He has 142 MLB games under his belt and sports a .254/.282/.391 slash. Cubs fans will remember him homering off Josh Hader last year after Jason Heyward hit a go-ahead three run shot off him.

So far this spring he is tied with Anthony Rizzo, Ian Happ and David Bote for third on the team in hits with 11. He has a walk and two doubles. His slash sits at .333/.354/.485.

His primary position is second, while also playing third base. Most of his potential time with the Cubs would be as a pinch-hitter/sub and maybe an occasional start.

Think somewhat like a Tommy La Stella type but not used as frequently. The last infield depth competition could very well be between Vargas and Sogard. As mentioned earlier, Vargas is on the 40-man roster but Sogard has more experience and an overall better track record.

The final few games this spring could determine who is placed where come Opening Day. Marisnick and Bote will be on the roster with Sogard and Vargas being a coin flip.