When will Matt Mervis make his Chicago Cubs Major League Debut?

Chicago Cubs first base prospect Matt Mervis has been the talk of the offseason and Spring Training after a 2022 campaign where he slugged 36 home runs across three levels of the team's minor league system.

During the offseason, there was growing speculation that Mervis could be a factor for the Cubs at the Major League level at the start of the 2023 season. The Cubs were entering the offseason with a glaring hole at the first base position and it seemed like Mervis would be a part of the solution. However, this offseason saw the Cubs sign two veteran first basemen in Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini and it has become rather clear that Mervis will begin the 2023 season with Triple-A Iowa.

Mervis is currently playing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Israel but the Cubs' prospect did appear in eight Spring Training games before departing for the tournament. There were encouraging signs from Mervis' offensive approach during Spring Training as he did have a double along with drawing five walks. The downside, however, is that Mervis struck 8 times in his 22 total plate appearances and only had 2 hits during that same span.

For Cubs' manager David Ross, he spoke with Patrick Mooney of The Athletic and mentioned the benefit that Mervis will have by participating in the World Baseball Classic.

"“I talked to Mervis this offseason, and he was kind of torn about being in camp for the first time and getting to know his teammates and making a good impression, which is all valid,” Ross said. “I love that his brain was going there. There’s also the flip side of going to Miami and playing in one of the most intense environments you can probably draw up for a young player. That experience playing against some of the best competition in the world — the D.R., Venezuela and Puerto Rico — it’s like a playoff atmosphere.""

- David Ross via The Athletic

Mervis will not be making the Opening Day roster for the Cubs. The path for Mervis and the Cubs will likely be for the prospect to begin the season with the Iowa Cubs and work on the adjustments that may be needed after the team was able to collect data for the first baseman's approach against Major League pitching in Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic.

May seems like an ideal month to circle for when Mervis will make his Major League debut with the Cubs. Hosmer will likely be given every opportunity at the beginning of the season to remain in the lineup as the team's starting first baseman but if he struggles offensively, his league-minimum salary makes it easy for the team to part with the veteran and promote Mervis.