3 hitters to target if the Chicago Cubs miss on Shohei Ohtani

3 hitters to target if the Cubs miss on Ohtani - 1. Matt Chapman

If all else fails, the Cubs could resort to Matt Chapman. Chapman is a power-hitting, defensively elite third baseman. The only issue I foresee with Chapman is the emergence and potential fast-tracking of Matt Shaw, who has already reached top 100 prospect status, according to MLB.com. Chapman will not sign a two-year deal to bridge the gap for Shaw the way Jeimer Candelario might, so signing Chapman at all essentially means Shaw will have a tough time being part of the long-term plan. Third base is already a backup position for him since Dansby Swanson takes shortstop for the next six years.

Chapman, offensively, is a .240/.329/.461 career hitter that can drive the ball over the fence with the best of them. He's recorded multiple upper 20 home run campaigns, his best coming in 2019 when he launched 36. On a hot summer day at Wrigley, when the ball is flying, he is perfect for the friendly confines. He also makes sense, given the emphasis the Cubs are putting on defense these days, but it needs to be seen if they will thwart their plans for Shaw and go a different route.

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