3 struggling Chicago Cubs prospects who have started the year ice cold

There is an ease and also enjoyment in bringing to the forefront the guys in the Chicago Cubs system who are currently, or who have been producing at a high level. The other side of the coin is less gratifying, as it is not fun to talk about those guys who may have a future at the big league level in some capacity failing to produce.

Fans are drawn to name recognition, and rightfully so as the prospecting world of baseball is so incredibly volatile. First overall picks are rarely guaranteed as is the case with late-round picks who produce astounding results. We have touched on several faces in the organization who are hot right now, but what about the guys who are off to an ice-cold start?

Chicago Cubs: Christopher Morel, 3B/OF – .204/.257/.357

Climbing the ladder would never be a problem for Christopher Morel. Once a highly touted prospect, Morel faced setbacks following a knee injury in 2019 which effectively ended his season that year. Following a strong recovery, and impressive year at the alternate training site last year, something destined it for Morel to take his talents to the ‘Volunteer State’.

Things have seemed to go downhill as Morel is batting.204, and is carrying an on-base percentage far-south of the.300 mark. On a positive note, Morel has found his untapped power and already has three home runs in 25 games. The 21-year-old had six in all of 2019.

Morel is, of course, still very young and has time to continue to grow. He has ridden the struggle bus this year, however, as his 70 wRC+ is a career-low since returning from his injury. Like many, no official the lack of a formal season last year made things a challenge, but we have regarded Morel as a possibility to replace Kris Bryant down the road.

The kid who signed for $800,000 in 2015 has shown he can play. His 124 wRC+ in ’19 remains a career high, but he will have to play catchup to break those numbers. Right now he is striking out at a higher rate but with louder contact comes the reality of strikeouts. Morel still has time to turn it around.

Chicago Cubs: Cory Abbott, RHP – A 6.39 ERA will simply not do

I believe Cory Abbott is one of those guys who has a long-term spot with the major league club. Abbott was valued by many in the 2017 MLB Draft, and the Cubs were studious enough to draft the right-hander.

Abbott has been awful this season. In five starts, he carries a 6.39 ERA along with a much higher FIP. Part of the number is that one bad start a couple of weeks back derailed things. Abbott allowed a couple of home runs and five earned runs with five walks over four innings. Things had not been great to that point, but it did him no favors.

Between 2018 and 2019, Abbott had been stringing together excellent seasons and at different levels, too, as he climbed the ladder. Part of the struggles may be the move from Double-A to Triple-A and the steps of major league talent. On a positive note, Abbott has seen his strikeout rate skyrocket to 34.2 percent — a career-high.

Abbott is still a name to consider for Chicago. It is improbable he does see time in the big leagues this year. However, stranger things have happened. The kid from California can hopefully turn things around sooner rather than later.