3 Cubs players who won't be on the roster by May

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The finale between the Reds and Cubs was rained out on Wednesday and will be made up as part of a doubleheader in Cincinnati in September. That leaves Chicago at 2-3 heading into this weekend's matchup with the Texas Rangers at Wrigley, which is expected to feature much better weather than what we got for Opening Weekend.

Five games is a very, very small sample size - but the Cubs have an incredibly small margin for error if they're going to defy the odds and make the postseason. With that in mind, if guys aren't producing or even if they just need regular reps to stay sharp, we could see a lot of movement back-and-forth between Iowa and the Windy City.

Here are 3 guys who could find themselves in Des Moines or elsewhere before the calendar turns to May based on roster construction, production and finding that perfect balance on the big league club.

3 Cubs players who won't be on the roster by May: #3 - Nick Madrigal

A former first-round pick out of Oregon State, Nick Madrigal was supposed to be the centerpiece in the deal that sent Craig Kimbrel to the South Side. Instead, he's struggled to stay healthy and, even when on the field, hasn't lived up to expectations.

In 235 plate appearances with the Cubs, Madrigal has a 67 OPS+ and the bat-to-ball skills he'd shown his entire career prior to the trade seem to have evaporated into thin air. This winter, the team had him start taking reps at third base in hopes of at least adding some defensive versatility with the middle infield locked down by Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner and, while he's been serviceable there with the leather, he's still not hitting.

Again, it's been five games and, for all we know, he goes on a burner this weekend against the Rangers. But with Patrick Wisdom scorching hot, Miles Mastrobuoni hitting the ball hard and Edwin Rios adding some left-handed power to the mix, when Seiya Suzuki returns, Madrigal could very well be the odd man out here.

3 Cubs players who won't be on the roster by May: #2 - Javier Assad

Depth is everything - and the Cubs have done a nice job assembling that on the pitching side of things. With a rotation filled by the likes of Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Drew Smyly and Hayden Wesneski, WBC standout Javier Assad has been pushed into the bullpen mix for the time being.

Even with Kyle Hendricks working his way back from injury, it wouldn't shock me to see the Cubs send Assad to Iowa to get him stretched back out for added rotation depth. Keegan Thompson has the long relief role on lockdown and being able to slot Assad in for spot starts throughout the course of the year could help keep guys fresh down the stretch.

Of course, Assad's 2023 season got off to a bumpy start last weekend when, after a clean, efficient first inning of work, David Ross sent him back out for a second frame and the wheels kind of came off against the Brewers. But a strong 2022 performance, paired with added velocity this winter, makes it clear that the 25-year-old right-hander has a role to play on the team moving forward.

3 Cubs players who won't be on the roster by May: #1 - Luis Torrens

I get that the Cubs love carrying three catchers. That's been the case for the better part of the last decade. But I can't envision a scenario, assuming both Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart are healthy, where Luis Torrens lasts a good chunk of the season on the 26-man roster.

The organization is reportedly really high on him - and that's fine and dandy - but he's not going to be catching enough to justify giving him a roster spot. They love his bat and believe he'll hit, too, but it sure doesn't feel like you're setting up a guy for success if he's your third-string catcher and a bat off the bench.

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If Chicago really thinks it has something with Torrens, the best thing to do would be have him catch every day at Iowa, getting regular reps at the dish and a real chance to show what he can do. There's a clear path to playing time there and I'm convinced the Cubs might wind up seeing if they can pass him through waivers to clear a roster spot and get him regular playing time time in the minors..

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