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5 Chicago Cubs players that helped their case during Spring Training
With the 2023 season right around the corner and Spring Training nearly in the rear-view, It's time to analyze the players on the Chicago Cubs that exceeded expectations and showed us how they could benefit the team moving forward. Thankfully, a few of the names on this list aren't the most popular names on the Cubs. We have some players we always believed in, players we needed reassurance from, and players that surprised us by earning roster spots. Let's dive right in and look at five great performances from the Cubs this spring.
5 Chicago Cubs that helped their case - 5. Trey Mancini
First on the list is the Cubs' new 1B/OF, Trey Mancini. After Seiya Suzuki began Spring Training by straining his oblique, it was initially thought that he could miss the first month of the season, which led to Mancini eyeing the lion's share of the starts in right field. With him getting ready to return much sooner than anticipated, those every day starts will go right back to Suzuki, inevitably moving Mancini back to a platoon spot with Hosmer or fighting for ABs in the DH spot when Hosmer is in the starting lineup.
Thankfully for Mancini, he's still batting over .300 through 50 at-bats with two home runs and six RBIs this spring. In doing so, he has proven he still has plenty in the tank after having a down second half of the 2022 campaign, and Cubs manager David Ross won't need to hesitate to put him in the lineup as an everyday hitter. If Mancini's Spring Training indicates what he can bring to the table in 2023, the Cubs are in a lot better shape offensively than we realized.
5 Chicago Cubs that helped their case - 4. Justin Steele
In the second half of 2022. Justin Steele broke out for the Cubs in a major way. After recording a 0.90 in 33 IP in the second half, Steele put himself on the map as a future face of the Cubs pitching staff. Unfortunately, his campaign was cut short due to a back issue, but he nevertheless picked up where he left off once he got to Spring Training.
After a rocky start to the Spring, Steele finished nicely with a 2.63 ERA, further cementing himself as a top-end starting pitcher for the Cubs in 2023. Steele pitched 119 innings in 2022, so he will need to stretch out further by staying healthy to take the next step forward as a mainstay in the front of the rotation. Undoubtedly, he can get deep into ballgames, and it will be exciting to see what he can accomplish this season.
5 Chicago Cubs that helped their case - 3. Javier Assad
After excelling through the minor league levels last season, inevitably getting called up to the show, Javier Assad posted a 3.11 ERA in 37.2 innings of work. This spring, he impressed Cubs brass while dominating for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. So much so that he was named to the Chicago Cubs opening day roster after being given the nod to the bullpen. In the role, he can come in and be a multi-inning relief pitcher or even spot start for the club when necessary.
Assad is one of many Cub's homegrown prospects that the front office is starting to churn out with a new and improved infrastructure. Assad's improved velocity and adjustments had bode well for him so far, as he has recorded a 2.57 ERA in 7.0 innings during spring training. 2023 will be a massive year for him as he looks to solidify himself as a core piece of the next great Cubs team.
5 Chicago Cubs that helped their case - 2. Miles Mastrobuoni
After the Cubs traded for Miles Mastrobuoni from the Tampa Bay Rays, I initially thought his game resembled Zach McKinstry's. Someone that has always had success in the minors but was never given a real chance to perform in the majors because of a deep farm system and star-studded talent at the top. Until I dug deeper. That appearance was quickly diminished after Mastrobuoni's strong Spring Training earned him an Opening Day roster spot.
Mastrobuoni will most likely be given primarily a bench role, with the opportunity to fill in for guys that need a day off, as he has a lot of positional versatility. Nevertheless, it's good to see the front office scouting talent that comes over to Chicago and impresses so much that they're given the nod on the major league roster right from the start. He was a career .295/.375/.445 in Triple-A throughout 697 at-bats. If he can produce anywhere near that level in the MLB, players like him will make the Cubs better than they currently project on paper.
5 Chicago Cubs that helped their case - 1. Hayden Wesneski
The newest member of the Cub's starting rotation, and coming in at number one, is Hayden Wesneski. Last season, Wesneski had something about him that just shouted that he had that "it" factor. The movement he gets on his pitches and his results are nothing short of what the most elite starters in today's game are doing. He posted a 2.18 ERA in 33 innings last season. Granted, hitters have not seen him before at the major league level, but his raw skills made it seem like it wouldn't matter much. The first helping we were fed from him left us craving for seconds.
Next. Zach McKinstry traded to the Detroit Tigers . dark
Wesneski has continued to shine this spring with a 2.12 ERA in 17.0 frames. After being named the 5th starter for the 2023 campaign, he is the clear-cut winner of Spring Training. His ceiling is that of a frontline starter, and there's no reason he can't achieve that if he keeps hitters guessing by switching up his pitch utilization and executing his command and delivery. Best of luck to the potential future ace of the Chicago Cubs pitching staff.