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

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.