Chicago Cubs: An in-depth look at 2B backup option Jean Segura

As Chicago Cubs fans grow antsy in the front offices' pursuit of a top-tier shortstop, understanding why the market is slow right now on the Cubs front is vital to the everyday fans piece of mind. First, Carlos Correa is yet to make a decision. First and foremost, that is the major hold-up regarding what the Cubs are doing. Yes, in a perfect world, everybody signs in one day, and I, myself, have been guilty of wishing the team would "Do something." The reality is the market is what it is and the Cubs figure to be heavily involved moving forward. But what about those backup options if they miss the top-tier shortstop market? I think it's essential to have done your homework and have these guys circled on your list if you need to pivot quickly. Enter Sean Segura.

First, Segura missed a big chunk of 2022 with a broken finger. So his numbers from this year aren't indicative of the player he has been for several years. Since 2016, Segura has earned a mark of .295/.345/.434 with 109 stolen bases. He only has an ISO of .134 over his career, but where he lacks pop in his bat, he makes up for in OBP and elite bat-to-ball skills. For his career, he carries a spectacular 13.9 K%. Furthermore, you love to see a guy go oppo (23.7% lifetime) more than he pulls (18.8%) the ball. He does carry a 54.4% ground ball rate but goes up the middle on 57.5% of the balls he puts in play, assisting in his ability to continue being an anomaly in today's game of launch angle.

Defensively, let's analyze his 2021 season upon being moved to second base. Segura tied for second in Outs Above Average with nine, only trailing Gold Glove winner Tommy Edman. Among qualified second basemen, he also finished second behind Edman again in runs prevented with seven. In 2022, Segura missed some time with various injuries but most notably sat out during a 60-day IL stint due to a fractured finger. Therefore, there isn't much to go off of defensively for Segura in 2022, but putting up numbers as he did in 2021 is eye-opening for him at 2B if you keep Nico Hoerner at shortstop.

He certainly won't hit 30 homers. If the Cubs do miss on a short-stop, Segura is a fine addition to the middle section of the lineup behind a few guys with some pop in their bat. Not to be perceived as a ground-breaking addition to the Cubs roster, Segura still brings a veteran presence and professional ability to hit for average and get on base at an elite clip. Should the Cubs return to the playoffs, Segura is fresh off a World Series run and carries vital experience to a Cubs team that is getting younger as the years go on.

Hopefully, of course, the Cubs still get their guy in either Carlos Correa or Dansby Swanson. The shortstop market is held up due to Correa's pending decision and Dansby Swanson getting married this weekend. The Cubs aren't out on these guys just because we do not see signings as immediately as we want to. The way the market didn't give way until the top-tier pitchers signed, the Cubs are that team that, if they miss on these guys, will swiftly move to fill as many holes as possible. Don't count the Cubbies out from a vast acquisition this winter. If they do swing and miss, though, Segura is an option that helps solidify your ball club moving forward.