Chicago Cubs News: 3 positions battles to watch in Spring Training

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As we turn the corner to February, we are nearly two weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting for the Chicago Cubs. Looking ahead to Spring Training, several questions remain going into the 2023 campaign that will need to be addressed. For the most part, however, the projected everyday lineup is essentially set, but there will be position battles and starting roles that can be earned between players. Let's dive right in, starting with third base.

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3 position battles - 3. Third Base

Candidates - 1. Patrick Wisdom

Patrick Wisdom's thump in his bat gives him the upside to at least DH for a team in an everyday role offensively. After that, there's still quite a bit to be desired. He slashed just .207/.298/.426, albeit with 25 HRs and 66 RBIs. However, his K rate still hovered at 34%. To make matters worse, he finished dead last in outs above average (-11) and runs prevented (-8) among qualified third basemen. The chicken or feathers approach will have to change, and Spring Training will be a big test to see where he stands if he is to earn an everyday role in 2023.

Candidates - 2. Christopher Morel

Due to his versatility in the field, Christopher Morel is slightly more of a lock to at least fill in where he can. He, too, finished with a mark of -7 runs prevented and -8 outs above average. Numbers such as these are what prompted the Cubs to put such an emphasis on defense this winter. He finished 2022 with a line of .235/.308/.433, and his 108 wRC+ was slightly higher than Wisdom's at 104. Morel started hot in may with a line of .283/.387/.491/125 wRC+, but as pitchers adjusted, he began to struggle over time. For example, Morel hit just .196/.255/.373 against sliders. The defensive versatility to fill in provides value, but adjustments must be made to take the next step forward offensively.

Minnesota Twins v Seattle Mariners / Steph Chambers/GettyImages

3 position battles - 2. Bullpen

Candidates - 3. Roenis Elias

Roenis Elias' seven appearances with the Mariners in '22 was his first run back in the majors since 2019. In those games, he recorded a 3.52 ERA. More importantly, Elias shined in the Dominican Winter League this winter, where he notched an impressive 1.01 ERA through his first 44.2 innings. Being a southpaw may give him a leg up on the competition, as the Cubs currently only have Brandon Hughes at the major league level. He is undoubtedly a pitcher you can see being called up at some point if he doesn't break camp with the big league roster altogether.

Candidates - 2. Jeremiah Estrada

Jeremiah Estrada was brought up to the Cubs last season and figures to be a vital piece to the Cubs' bullpen at some point, if not immediately. Last season, Estrada broke out in the minors, recording ERA's of 2.35 in High-A, 2.33 in Double-A, 0.00 in six innings at Triple-A, followed ultimately by a 3.18 in 5.2 frames with the Cubs as the season began to wind down. 2023 will be a big step forward for him, and where the front office may elect to have him brush up in Iowa to start the season, it will be hard to justify leaving him off the main roster if he has a fantastic Spring.

Candidates - 1. Tyler Duffey

The Cubs recently signed Tyler Duffey on a minor league deal but invited him to Spring Training. He will have as much opportunity to fight for a bullpen spot as anyone else, and his track record is perhaps the most promising of the three on this list. From 2019-2021, Duffey recorded a stellar 2.69 combined ERA over those three seasons before finally having a down year in 2022. Duffey will look to make changes to his pitch utilization rate.

His velocity averaged 1.7 mph slower than it did in 2019 and has gradually dipped ever since. Throwing the pitch at a 36% clipped allowed a line against him of .288/.368/.525, so mixing in some more sinkers and changeups, where he saw more success, is in order this time around. Nevertheless, he is an exciting pitcher to keep an eye on this Spring.

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3 position battles - 1. Starting Pitching

Candidates - 3. Keegan Thompson

Keegan Thompson is an exceptional piece for the Cubs and will certainly be in contention for a starting pitching role in the back end of the rotation. Interestingly, however, Keegan has been an elite bulk reliever for Chicago, recording a 1.47 ERA in 36.2 innings vs. a 4.83 ERA in 78.1 innings as a starter. At the least, he is a viable spot starter if he doesn't earn the role in Spring Training. There is at least one spot up for grabs with Kyle Hendricks presumably starting on the IL, so keep an eye out for Thompson this Spring.

Candidates - 2. Drew Smyly

Drew Smyly was brought back by the Cubs this winter and is the closest to a lock for the rotation after Stroman, Taillon, and Steele. Unless he bombs in Spring Training and numerous others outperform him dramatically, he will likely operate a back end of the rotation spot in the fourth or fifth starter spot. Last season, according to Fangraphs, Smyly recorded a 3.47 ERA in 106.1 frames while notching a 1.3 WAR. The ERA is great for the role he will play, but upping his innings to that 2021 range (126.2) and perhaps beyond, if efficient, will make his signing a fantastic deal for the Cubs.

Candidates - 1. Hayden Wesneski

Hayden Wesneski is the most exciting piece in the pitching staff heading into 2023. Pitching at the major league level is a challenging thing to do. Still, in a small sample of 33 innings, Wesneski was surgical. He posted a 2.18 ERA (3.20 FIP) while striking out 33. He utilized a slider at 31.92%, followed by a fastball which averaged out to 93.1 mph at 25.86%—after that, mixed in a sinker (22.42%), cutter (12.12%), and changeup (7.68%), which all yielded different results. His sinker was thrown 111 times, allowing a slash of .300/.382/.367, so perhaps a fine-tuning there is in order, or he can mix up his pitches further and use the sinker more of a keep-hitters-honest type of pitch.

Next. 3 Cubs who will improve in 2023 and 2 more who won't. dark

If Wesneski carries his 2022 production into Spring Training, he should be a no-brainer to be given a chance to pick up where he left off. The Cubs are looking to compete this season, and they can ill-afford to allow prolonged time for pitchers to figure it out this season. If Wesneski looks just as sharp, he must immediately start games for the Cubs in 2023.

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