3 Chicago Cubs prospects that could give the big league offense a jolt

The situation is becoming dire for the Chicago Cubs. Offensive slumps are expected throughout a 162-game season, but their struggles with the bat have yet to turn around since May began. This swoon has seen their record drop to 28-27 as the hitting has all but vanished, ranking 26th in baseball with an 84 wRC+ from May 1 onward. They desperately need a spark to keep things from spiraling too far out of control.

Before Tuesday night's game against the Brewers, the Cubs were the second-worst team when hitting with runners in scoring position. Their .189/.290/.261 slash line amounts to a brutal 63 wRC+, only ahead of the lowly White Sox (61). It feels every bit as bad as the numbers say, too, when they continue to come up empty in golden opportunities and lack any real slug at the plate. Eight of the 23 games they played in the month have ended with the Cubs scoring one run or less. It hurts all the more considering the brilliance of the rotation during the month, which has ranked as the fourth-best staff in the league at a 3.10 ERA.

A few obvious holes stack out, like at the catcher position as we've previously addressed, but the Cubs just need help in general. Fortunately, they have some interesting candidates in the minors deserving of a chance to shake things up. Bringing up one guy isn't going to change the fact that the guys they're paying to hit aren't, but every bit of offense can help, especially if they get enough playing time to make a difference. There's room to make a move, too, with Nick Madrigal struggling mightily with minor-league options to spare.

Let's look at three guys the Cubs could call up soon to supplement their struggling hitting core (assuming they'll get enough playing time).

3. Brennen Davis

After a brutal few years of injury woes and underperformance, it might finally be time for former Cubs top prospect Brennen Davis to take the field in Chicago. Still only 24 years old, he's caught fire in Iowa with a .270/.434/.622/166 wRC+ slash line and eight home runs to his name in 99 plate appearances. He's also been riding an insane hot streak throughout May that saw him hit seven long balls over the course of eight games.

While he hasn't continued lighting the world his past few games, that performance is exactly what the Cubs should capitalize on. The improvements he's made in his approach at the plate are also encouraging. With a 21.2% strikeout rate and a 15.8% walk rate, he finally looks like his old self from the 2021 season when he first earned the promotion. Across the board, he appears to have found himself in Triple-A, albeit with even more slug.

There's no hand-waving away the fact that experts don't have a ton of faith in his hit tool and the many injuries he's suffered, flukey or not, leave doubts about his durability. However, even if this run doesn't last and he's ultimately destined to end up with another team, he could be worth the shot in the short term. Playing time might be difficult with four outfielders getting the lion's share of games, but there are ways to make things work by utilizing the DH or moving Cody Bellinger to first base and giving Michael Busch some time off. That also holds true for our next two entries.