Cubs: Christopher Morel is one of the hottest rookies in the league

Chicago Cubs standout Christopher Morel is among July’s hottest rookies, according to MLB.com’s Matthew Leach. On May 17, Morel was called up to the majors, and hit a home run in his first career at-bat in a 7-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Since then, Morel has weathered his share of ups and downs and enters the second half hitting .266 with 26 RBI, eight steals, and 57 hits in 241 plate appearances. He ranks fifth on the team in hits, sixth in RBI and second in steals to this point, despite appearing in just 55 games.

Just for some comparison, Chicago All-Star outfielder Ian Happ leads the team in hits with 87, but has appeared in 90 games. What Morel has been doing has been incredibly impressive – especially when you consider he made the jump to the big leagues straight from Double-A.

Even though there may be some downsides to Morel’s rookie year, such as a climbing strikeout rate and too many errors in the outfield, he has a bright upside to his career, and I could see him with the Cubs for a while if he keeps this up past the 2022 campaign. This season, Morel has the seventh-most strikeouts amongst rookies, but in every other major category, ranks in the top 10 amongst rookies who have played more than 50 games.

Cubs will surely keep an eye on Christopher Morel down the stretch

Morel is an electrifying player, a type of player we haven’t seen since Javier Baez’s 2019 MVP-caliber season. The Cubs need a player like this; someone who can play multiple positions – outfield, third base, second base and shortstop – while providing some pop at the dish. The 23-year-old is helping fans see hope for the future, as is much needed for a struggling team.

Personally, to hear MLB analysts talk about Morel as one of the hottest rookies of July is amazing. Putting Morel in the same conversation as Julio Rodriguez, Spencer Strider, Michael Harris II, Adley Rutschman and Shane Baz, some of the best rookies of the season, is something we shouldn’t overlook.