Cubs: Matt Mervis promoted to Triple-A after sizzling hot first half

The Chicago Cubs have a breakout first base prospect waiting in the wings in Matt Mervis. Despite not appearing on any prospect lists for the team for a multitude of reasons, the slugging lefty went scorched earth this year between South Bend and Tennessee and is now Iowa-bound after the All-Star Break.

To show how ridiculous “Mash” Mervis has been this year, he leads all of baseball in runs batted in with 80. Not all of Double-A. All of baseball. This year, he’s hit a combined .317/.376/.614, making him one of the best offensive performers in the game. Add in 21 home runs and 25 doubles to boot, and it’s clear why he’s gotten the name “Mash.” This all comes from a player that went undrafted due to the shortened five-round draft in 2020 and just turned 24.

We spoke about Mervis’ development after he had just been promoted to Double-A and he remained hot since, posting an impressive .301/.370/.590 slash line in 230 plate appearances. His arrival at Double-A has also come with marked improvements in his approach at the plate. In Tennessee, he’s managed to cut his strikeout percentage to a mere 20 percent while walking 8.7 percent of the time.

Everything Mervis has done seems to prove that this is a real improvement from him. From the better approach to a not unreasonable BABIP in Double-A of .322, it all looks legit for the first baseman.

“Mash” Mervis could force his way onto the Cubs after the trade deadline

With the trade deadline fast approaching, Mervis is making a case to end up in Chicago by the end of the year. He’s played both corners of the infield before, but first base is where he’s most likely to stay for the foreseeable future. The Cubs have yet to find their lockdown player at the position. Frank Schwindel hasn’t approached the lofty heights of last year, hitting for only an 84 wRC+. The same is true for Alfonso Rivas, who only has an 80 wRC+ and serves as a defensive replacement.

Of the other real candidates knocking on the door of the big leagues to play first for the Cubs, Jared Young is one of the only other names that stand out. Young was excellent between Double-A and Triple-A last season, though he hasn’t gotten the bat going to the same extent this year with a good but not great .254/.323/.461 slash line. If Mervis continues to hit as he has throughout the rest of the minors, he’ll no doubt fly to the front of the line to snag some at-bats in Chicago.

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The fact that we’re even talking about Mervis as an impact guy for the near future is exciting. By no means was he ever considered one of the Cubs’ most valuable farm hands, yet, as he makes his way to Iowa, the results can’t be denied. To see someone who could potentially anchor first base for the future come out of nowhere gives some hope for what this team’s farm system and scouting department can discover.