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3 Chicago Cubs prospects to know heading into Spring Training
It's been a long offseason, and even though the Chicago Cubs have made some solid moves this winter, nothing compares to the excitement of playing games again. There is still much to go over as we approach Spring Training, but for today I'm looking at non-roster invitees and which names are popping up the most for me.
All and all, it's great to see guys on the non-roster invite list that still have so much potential. The Cubs' farm system has shaped magnificently in the past two years. When it comes to the NRIs, there are quite a few that we could undoubtedly explain the upside on, but let's go ahead and look at just three who, with a good Spring showing, can certainly excel up the ladder further.
3 Chicago Cubs prospects to know heading into Spring Training - Darius Hill
Starting it off, we have 25-year-old Darius Hill. After slashing .314/.359/.453 between Double-A Tennesse and Triple-A Iowa last season, Hill's impressive bat-to-ball skills are hard to ignore. Though he boasts a solid 14.2% strikeout rate, he does lack the desired pop in his bat. However, I still see a path to success in the majors, as he drove the ball to the opposite field at 43.2% last season. This is a guy who can have a professional hitter mentality, even if you will see fewer home runs from him.
His upper-echelon contact skills give him a decent floor offensively, and his invaluable ability to play all three outfield positions raises that floor even further. In 2022, between both levels, Hill spent 64 games in LF, 43 games in CF, and finally spent time in RF as well for 13 games once he was at Triple-A. Altogether, he collectively recorded a 0.992 FPCT between all three positions and managed two errors in the process across his 251 putouts and seven assists. Solid chance he starts the year in Iowa again, but if he continues at that pace, he may force the front office's hand when a spot opens up.
3 Chicago Cubs prospects to know heading into Spring Training- Chase Strumpf
Chase Strumpf spent the entirety of the 2022 campaign at Double-A Tennesse. At that time, he recorded a line of .234/.379/.461/125 wRC+ with 21 HRs and 57 RBIs. The .226 ISO is excellent, but the 33.3 K% has to improve this coming year. Although he registered 486 plate appearances in 116 games, he only recorded 393 ABs, primarily due to an impressive 76 walks drawn on the season. Though he spent just 7.1 innings at first base, he played three infield spots total in '22, getting the lion's share at second and third base. Collectively, he recorded a 0.968 FPCT on the season.
Strumpf will be going into his age-25 season this year, and he has solid enough potential that he is being brought in as a non-roster invite for Spring Training. His ability to get on-base gives him a high floor offensively, but it will bode well for him to make better contact and cut back on strikeouts, even if he has to sacrifice power along the way. It will be interested to see how his Spring goes. He could start the season and Triple-A Iowa if he does well enough.
3 Chicago Cubs prospects to know heading into Spring Training - Bailey Horn
Last but not least, we come to Bailey Horn. After being drafted out of Auburn in the 5th round of the 2020 draft by the White Sox, he was acquired via trade by the Cubs in 2021 when the Cubs sent Ryan Tepera to the south side. Horn was used exclusively as a reliever in 2022 between High-A and Double-A. In South Bend, he recorded a 0.00 ERA in ten frames, followed by a 3.46 in 41.2 innings at Double-A, good for a 2.79 ERA in total.
Next. 3 White Sox that are perfect fits with the Chicago Cubs . dark
During the Arizona Fall League, Horn excelled when he notched a 1.50 ERA across eight appearances and 12.0 IP. As a lefty reliever, he can find himself on the fast track up the ladder if he takes another step forward in 2023. It will be interesting to see how his Spring goes and where he is placed after that. Expect his name to be mentioned more and more as the season progresses.