3 Cubs who won't make the opening day roster, but will contribute a lot in 2023

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The Chicago Cubs have a lot of depth on both sides of the ball, meaning there will be a lot of tough roster decisions to make when opening day comes at the end of the month. With Spring Training chugging on and position battles underway, many of these guys will not be starting their season on the big league squad. However, opportunities always present themselves throughout the season, whether it be from poor production on the active roster or injuries. Here are 3 guys that will begin their season in Triple-A Iowa, but will make their way to Wrigley to contribute in 2023.

1. Christopher Morel

When Christopher Morel was called up from Double-A Tennessee last May, he hit a home run in his first big league at-bat and never looked back. Although he played his way into staying on the active roster, he struggled mightily during the second half of the season. In his second 55 games in 2022, Morel had a pretty ugly batting average of .194, as opposed to .264 in his first 56 contests. With all the free-agent additions the Cubs have made, it is unlikely there will be room for Morel, at least at the start of the season.

Morel is a heck of a player and provided a high-energy spark to the Cubs last year that was reminiscent of Javier Baez. Not to mention he can play everywhere besides 1st base and catcher. He is only 23 years old though, and perhaps a couple of months in Iowa to get regular at-bats and playing time is what Morel needs to develop into a more consistent big-league ball player.

2. Caleb Killian

It's no secret the Cubs have a lot of starting pitching depth, and Caleb Killian is going to be a big part of that someday soon. Killian came to the Cubs from San Francisco alongside fellow top prospect Alexander Canario in the Kris Bryant trade. The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher currently ranks as the Cubs' 18th prospect according to MLB, and although his 3 starts with the Cubs were not great last year, he will be in the equation this season.

Injuries are always a factor for starting pitchers, especially when you're talking about older players like Drew Smyly and Kyle Hendricks. If/when those injuries hit, Killian will be in line to at least be a long relief option if not a starter. He has already dazzled in his first Spring Training start, but will probably start the year in Iowa where he can start every 5th day. I foresee Killian being in the Cubs' starting rotation mix for years to come though.

3. Matt Mervis

Matt Mervis is coming off one of the best seasons by any minor league player last year, where he raked a whopping 36 home runs in drove-in 119 with a stellar .984 OPS. Now the Cubs 7th ranked prospect, Mervis would slot nicely into the lineup if he can come anywhere close to that production against big league pitching. He is a 6'4 left-handed hitting 1st baseman with unbelievable power. He is Anthony Rizzo reincarnate, and he will be on the Cubs' major league roster by the end of the year.

It seems like the Cubs will be rolling with Eric Hosmer at 1st base to start the season though, which makes sense as Mervis is not even on the 40-man roster yet. However, Hosmer will have to step up his game a lot if he wants to keep his spot on the Cubs. The veteran has a lot to prove after getting bounced by the Padres and Red Sox last season due to wretched offensive struggles. Not to mention the Padres were willing to eat $36 million over the next three years just to get Hosmer off their team. Yikes. If Mervis continues to rake in Iowa in the beginning of the year, it may be hard to justify starting Hosmer at 1st base if he continues to struggle.

Next. What an all Cubs' homegrown pitching staff may look like. dark

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