It’s time for the Cubs to make major roster moves to finish the season

Who should the Cubs designate for assignment in August?

The list of potential roster moves is lengthy. Currently, Chicago is giving up an active spot on the roster for players that are either not performing well or have no business being in the team’s plans beyond this season. Therefore, they need to cut ties and make room for the guys that have a chance to make an impact moving forward.

Frank Schwindel

After bursting onto the scene last season in the wake of the Anthony Rizzo departure, Frank Schwindel has been a huge disappointment for the team in 2022. Frank “The Tank” is posting an abysmal slash line of .233/.280/.365 with just eight home runs heading into Saturday’s matchup against Miami.

His departure would open the door for a handful of other roster moves which I will get to in a bit but, at this point, there is no reason to trot Schwindel out for any more at-bats. He is a defensive liability that is struggling at the plate.

Rafael Ortega

Rafael Ortega was another late bloomer last season for the Cubs but the upside just is not there. He goes through stretches of being a solid hitter at the top of the lineup but he cannot stay consistent at the plate and is a mess on defense.

The Cubs have a couple of very exciting prospects coming up through the system in Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brennan Davis. Both of those guys will take over in the outfield when they are ready for the big stage. In the meantime, the Cubs should look to part ways with Ortega and give Nelson Velazquez a better look in center field.

Sean Newcomb

The reclamation project has not worked out and Sean Newcomb should be ready to hit the road. After a strong start to his career with the Braves, everything has gone downhill for Newcomb. The Cubs offered a fresh start for the lefty but his short time with the club has been a disaster.

Opponents are hitting .400 against Newcomb with an OPS of 1.090 in 7 1/3 innings since he arrived in Chicago. His 12.27 ERA in over five appearances is not going to cut it.

Mark Leiter Jr. 

Thinking ahead once again, Mark Leiter Jr. should not be a building block of next year’s bullpen. Designating him for assignment and opening a spot on this year’s roster for a young pitcher – whether it be Caleb Kilian, Hayden Wesneski, or someone else – is a must.

Who will replace the Cubs players that are shown the door?

The farm system is building up nicely for the Cubs after the past two trade deadlines. Reinforcements are on the way but it may be another year or two before the real stars arrive in Chicago.

This season, we can expect to hear some noise around a handful of prospects to get a taste of how they will fit into the organization in 2023.

Matt Mervis

A bit of a surprise for the Cubs this season, Matt Mervis has worked his way up from High-A affiliate South Bend through Tennessee and into Iowa. There is a very good chance he will get all the way to the big leagues this season after mashing baseballs in the minors in 2022.

Mervis has racked up 23 home runs, 88 RBI, and a .967 OPS across 92 minor league appearances this season. He is a surefire candidate to replace Schwindel as the first baseman moving forward.

Alexander Canario

The secondary piece of the Kris Bryant return package last season, Alexander Canario has impressed since joining the Cubs. He began the season in South Bend but quickly earned a promotion to Double-A Tennessee.

In 66 games with the Smokies, Canario has registered 19 homers, 47 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and a .908 OPS. Christopher Morel made the leap from Double-A to MLB already this season. Canario could be the next to do it.

Caleb Kilian

Caleb Kilian was the prize of that Kris Bryant deal and he has made some appearances with the Cubs this season already. Although he had early struggles, Kilian needs to see Major League hitting to end this season.

Young pitching has been fun to watch development for the Cubs in 2022 with Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson turning into rotation pieces. Kilian can enter the rotation or make some appearances out of the bullpen to get him into real action before he makes the leap next season.

Hayden Wesneski

Trading Scott Effross was a heartbreaker but the return was promising. The Yankees sent Hayden Wesneski to Chicago as he nears his MLB debut. Already in Triple-A with the Yankees, Wesneski is reporting to the same level with the Cubs and is on the fast track to his big league debut.

Another starter with tremendous upside, Wesneski should be a staple of the rotation for the future. He needs to get some starts under his belt this season, especially with Wade Miley and Kyle Hendricks missing time.

Cubs: What will a lineup look like on a daily basis?

We have already seen a major change to the lineup as Patrick Wisdom has finally started taking more reps at first base. That move will allow Christoper Morel to get more looks over at third base and likely makes Schwindel even more expendable.

Rotating Wisdom and Mervis at first base to get a glimpse of what the lineup could look like next season would be a brilliant move by Ross. Both could also serve as the DH when they are not on the field.

I would also take a look at Willson Contreras as a first baseman to see if there is a path for him to make the roster that way next season.

With Ortega out of the outfield, Canario and Velazquez can battle for the center field job with the occasional fill-in for Ian Happ in left field as well. Both of the young guys have a much better chance of making an impact in 2023 than Rafael Ortega so this should be an easy decision to make.

I would expect a platoon at second base between Zach McKinstry and Nick Madrigal. Both guys need to prove something in the final 50 games or they could be on the outside looking in next spring.

A starting rotation of Stroman, Thompson, Steele, Kilian and Wesneski with Adrian Sampson moving to the bullpen would be ideal. However, Kyle Hendricks will likely return at some point and force a change in the rotation.