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Chicago Cubs Rumors: Top 4 remaining bats left on the market
After the signing of Dansby Swanson yesterday, the Chicago Cubs are close to genuinely competing for the NL Central Division again. The Cubs must push on this winter with a "Why stop now?" approach and continue adding offense where applicable. The Cubs' needs are three-fold. You won't find any catchers on this list with the best already off the board. They need and will add another corner outfielder and could benefit from another OF/DH power type.
Thankfully, quite a few fall directly in line with the Cubs' motto of "intelligent spending." Adequate players who can be had on shorter pillow deals that still pack enough punch to add some much-needed production to the offense viably. Swanson propelled them up the overall standings leaderboard, but work still needs to be done to secure a playoff spot in 2023. Let's look at the best four remaining bats on the market.
Top 4 remaining bats - 4. Justin Turner
Starting with long-time Los Angeles Dodgers hot corner man Justin Turner. The two-time all-star has slashed a very respectable .289/.366/.466 throughout his 14-year career. That line has only improved to .296/.375/.490 during his last nine years with LA. Now on the free-agent market, the 38-year-old third baseman will be looking for a short deal that perfectly fits the mold of somebody the Cubs are looking for.
Turner can fill in where needed between his ability to play first and third base. The potency of his bat is what brings his value to immense levels for a team like the Cubs that are currently on the verge of filling out a formidable lineup 1-9. Fangraphs has Turner projected for just a one-year $12-14MM contract and is a solid option for the Cubs at either corner spot in the infield. He is a combination of the best bat/worst defense on this list. We've seen quite an emphasis on defense this winter by the Cubs' front office, but Turners bat to ball skills are elite and are perhaps too hard to ignore.
Top 4 remaining bats - 3. Trey Mancini
The oft-linked-to-the-Cubs Trey Mancini is still available as a first-base option to platoon with Matt Mervis. We know the Cubs have been searching for a right-handed first baseman, ultimately striking out on Jose Abreu and Josh Bell earlier in the winter. With not as many options remaining at the position and the Cubs now having a better sense of where payroll will be after signing Swanson, you can expect the front office to get more aggressive on the first-base market.
For 2023, Steamers projects Mancini for a .244/.321/.409, which may be subject to change if he winds up in the hitter-friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Platoon-wise, against southpaws, Mancini carries a 32.1% hard-hit rate and a 49.8% groundball rate. With the ban of the extreme shift, Mancini is one of the candidates that should see an uptick in batting average next year. He has recorded a respectable .265/.330/.457 through his career. Fresh off a down season in 2022 upon his move to Houston, Mancini can be had for cheap and is a decent candidate to bounce back to his more career-normal numbers.
Top 4 remaining bats - 2. Brandon Drury
Landing at number two, the more versatile Brandon Drury is fresh off a career year between the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres. This season, he slashed a career-best .263/.320/.492 with 28 HRs and 87 RBIs. With the ability to play first base, second base, third base, and the outfield, Drury's skills and his 2-3 year $10.0MM AAV contract projection make him the perfect model to land in a Cubs uniform this winter. It only creates more sense when you dig into the advanced numbers because there is more than meets the eye.
Circling back to the platoon option guys for Matt Mervis, let's look at Drury's spectacular numbers against southpaws. With a slash of .299/.329/.626 and an ISO of .327 and 160 wRC+, Drury in a hitters ballpark can mash in a Cubs uniform. This season, Drury has a career-high 396 batted balls. 50% of Drury's batted ball events are to the pull side, and he carries a hard hit rate on those of 40%. His average launch angle for 2022 was 13.8. That being said, he's another strong candidate that should further see improved numbers with the ban of the extreme shift. His versatility in the field makes him a very viable corner-infield option for the Cubs in 2023.
Top 4 remaining bats - 1. Michael Conforto
Last but not least, we come to Michael Conforto. After missing all of 2022 with a shoulder injury, Conforto's agent, Scott Boras, states his client is fully healthy and looking for a pillow contract. Again, a guy that falls entirely in line with what the Cubs are looking for in the intelligent spending department. With a career of .255/.356/.468, Conforto is hit or miss in terms of batting average but carries a career .214 ISO and a 42.1% hard-hit rate. Though he had a down 2021 before injury, Conforto mashed in 2017, 2018, and 2019 with 27, 28, and 33 HRs, respectively. In 2020, due to the pandemic, he only played in 54 games but was right on pace with those numbers again, with 9 HRs in exactly one-third of an entire season.
Next. Dansby Swanson finalizing deal with Chicago Cubs. dark
Line-up-wise, Conforto makes sense as a DH option to keep as much pressure off his throwing shoulder as possible. He can be deemed a candidate for a 4th outfield spot, as he has played all three positions in the past. Assuming Ian Happ, Cody Bellinger, and Seiya Suzuki won't all play 162 games on the field, they will need someone to fill in. Match-up-wise, you can't have enough of the ability to have another lefty bat in the lineup when needed. If Matt Mervis struggles to work out early on, Bellinger can slide to first base, and Conforto finds a more recurring role in the field. Considering he is healthy, he is a much-needed lefty that can certainly add some pop to the lineup and help the Cubs get back to the playoffs.