Chicago Cubs News: David Ross confirms Matt Mervis will play everyday

The Chicago Cubs made the news official on Friday morning as the team announced that first base prospect Matt Mervis has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa and third baseman Edwin Rios has been optioned.

In speaking about the move prior to the Cubs' game against the Miami Marlins on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, team manager David Ross told reporters that Mervis will be a regular in the starting lineup while veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer moves to a bench role.

It had seemed over the course of recent weeks, that the Cubs were preparing for this transition. Hosmer was getting more and more time as the team's designated hitter while veteran Trey Mancini received regular starts as the team's first baseman.

Mervis is starting at first base and hitting seventh in the Cubs' lineup on Friday and it certainly is encouraging that he will be a fixture in the lineup moving forward. A criticism of Cubs' manager David Ross over the course of the past year has been his inability to play prospects. That has continued to be the case for Nelson Velazquez who, despite the hot offensive start to the season, has been a fixture on the bench when not used as a pinch runner.

In the case of Mervis, the Cubs need to ensure that he gets regular reps for two reasons in particular. The first and most obvious reason is that in terms of development, playing every day is the most important thing for Mervis.

Secondly, in the event that Mervis struggles and needs to be sent down to Triple-A Iowa once more, the Cubs can make that determination ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Such a path would allow the Cubs to address first base/designated hitter if that remains a need as the season progresses.

More Chicago Cubs News