Former Cubs disappointment finds unexpected new opportunity with Rays

Former Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal has resurfaced once again this season, signing a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend. It's been a whirlwind month for Madrigal, who returned to the majors for the first time since 2024, but was ultimately designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels after 15 games.

It's hard to make sense of anything the Angels do, especially considerig the awkward way they revealed Perry Minasian was fired, but ending the Madrigral experiment didn't exactly make sense.

Far be it for a Cubs site to come to the defense of Madrigal, but he wasn't exactly bad during his brief time in LA. It was the typical Madrigal experience, a slash line of .273/.385/.295 with a wRC+ of 102. In fact, it was a better sample than anything Madrigal flashed during his three years with the Cubs.

At the very least, Madrigal impressed the Rays. The general perception is that if the Rays want a player, they may see something they can unlock that other teams haven't. If nothing else, Madrigal is added infield depth for the leaders in the American League East.

Nick Madrigal should be a draft warning for the Chicago Cubs

There's no need rehashing the Madrigal era for the Cubs. By the end of his run with the White Sox, it was quite clear that he was nothing more than a prolific singles hitter. By the time he arrived to the Cubs, he was quickly displaced at second base, sliding over to third base. While Madrigal wasn't a terrible fielder at the hot corner, the lack of slug left a lot to be desired with his spot in the starting lineup.

Madrigal's overall story is a timely reminder for the Cubs. When the White Sox drafted Madrigal in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft, the idea was that he could become the next Jose Altuve. It was a misguided idea, and one that serves as a general warning when trying to project college bats.

Fortunately, that shouldn't be a problem for the Cubs. If there's one thing the Cubs have done right in recent years, it's drafting college bats. While that has come at the expense of pitching development, the Cubs' farm system is littered with position player prospects who carry a high upside. Closing the loop on Madrigal, the success often stems from the Cubs avoiding college bats who have clear limitations, as was the case with their former infielder.

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