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Chicago Cubs: 4 players to be thankful for
Chicago Cubs: 4 players to be thankful for: No.2 Ian Happ
After being drafted by the Cubs in the first round of the 2015 Major League Baseball amateur draft, Happy finally appeared to have reached his full potential with the team in 2022. Happ finished the 2022 season with a slash line of .271/.342/.440/.781 to go along with 15 home runs while posting a 120 wRC+. Happ's breakout performance in 2022 also saw him earn National League All-Star and National League Gold Glove honors for the first time in his career.
With Happ having one more season of team control, there was a sense that the Cubs may have traded Happ at Major League Baseball trade deadline last season. Happ remained with the Cubs past the deadline and now with an expectation of returning to contention in 2023, the team is expected to have contract extension discussions with Happ this offseason.
At some point, the Cubs are going to need to show a willingness to extend their homegrown players. Happ represents the perfect opportunity for the Cubs to prove that willingness as he undoubtedly should be a part of the next contending core.
Chicago Cubs: 4 players to be thankful for: No.3 Nico Hoerner
Given that the Cubs have targeted the top four free-agent shortstops this winter, many fans have pushed back against that idea because the team seemingly already has a shortstop in place in the form of Nico Hoerner. Before we express why we are thankful for Hoerner, let's once again remind everyone that the Cubs' pursuit of the free-agent shortstops has nothing to do with Hoerner. The Cubs need offensive improvement in 2023. The easiest way for the Cubs to find that improvement is through free agency. Outside of Aaron Judge, the best free-agent offensive players available this offseason play the shortstop position. The Cubs can sign one of those shortstops, improve their offense, and shift Hoerner over to second base where he projects a potential Gold Glove defender.
Hoerner is very much a part of the long-term future of the Cubs. Under team control in 2026, Hoerner proved to be one of the team's best players in 2022, a season that represented his first full season at the Major League level. In 517 plate appearances last season, Hoerner had a slash line of .281/.327/.410/.736.
Relax, Cubs' fans, Hoerner is very much a part of the Cubs' plans moving forward and we are thankful for that.
Chicago Cubs: 4 players to be thankful for: No.4 Justin Steele
One of the downfalls of the Cubs organization during their most recent contending window is the lack of pitching development within the minor league system. Beginning in 2019, the Cubs started to turn a corner with their pitching development and the biggest example of that would be the success that starting pitcher Justin Steele had last season.
In 119 innings pitched last season, Steele posted a 3.18 ERA (3.21 FIP) while posting a 2.6 WAR. What makes Steele's 2022 season most impressive is the success that he had in the second half. In 36 innings pitched during the second half last season, Steele posted a 0.96 ERA (2.76 FIP).
Edwin Rios might fit Cubs need at third base. dark. Next
Steele represents the change in the philosophy of the Cubs organization in regard to pitching development. With the success that Steele had in 2022, he enters 2023 with the chance of blossoming into a true top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher. If that is the case, then Cubs should be very thankful for what they saw from the starting pitcher in 2022.