3 Cubs making a strong case for the Opening Day roster

Spring training is in full swing, and the Chicago Cubs are not looking bad with their revamped roster. The first round of roster cuts have come and gone, with many prominent prospects being reassigned to the minor leagues for now.

But there are still guys in the mix in Mesa looking to impress manager David Ross and the front office enough to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Here are 3 guys who are trying very hard to carve out a spot for themself on the big league roster come March 30.

3 Cubs making a strong case for the Opening Day roster: 1) Caleb Kilian

Even though there probably isn't a rotation spot available for the organization's #18 prospect Caleb Killian, he looks ready to make an impact at the big league level. In three starts, Kilian has thrown seven innings struck out five men. Those numbers don't jump out at you, but he has looked sharp and confident on the mound.

He's struggled in his limited starts in MLB, and has Hayden Wesneski and Javier Assad in front of him competing for the fifth rotation spot, Killian is proving he is ready to contribute and looks a lot better on the mound than last year. If he keeps dealing, he just might squeak his way into the bullpen as a swing man. If not, he will likely begin the year in Iowa to get steady work until he inevitably gets called back up.

3 Cubs making a strong case for the Opening Day roster: 2. David Bote

The long-lost David Bote is making it really hard to forget about him this spring, as he has nine hits in just 23 at-bats so far with an OPS over 1.000.

While he is making a lot of noise in Mesa, there just does not seem to be a viable path for him to make the Opening Day roster, especially because he is not even on the 40-man right now. After making a long journey back from a shoulder injury last year, which shelved him until June, Bote did not exactly dazzle at the plate.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old struck out in more than a third of his plate appearances, which threw cold water on his 109 OPS+. The biggest issue heading into the regular season, though, isn't necessarily what he can do on the field - it's the roster crunch the Cubs are facing for guys with similar skill sets.

In fact, he has not been very good since 2019 and has been a utility guy for the most part. With other options like Zach McKinstry, Christopher Morel and Miles Mastrobouni around to fill that role, I'd say Bote's days at Wrigley Field are numbered and he's likely best suited as a trade chip at this point.