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.