Article: The Chicago Cubs Battle For The Bench

[Sean Chapin]

The "Battle for the Bench" emerges as one of the most interesting storylines in the Cubs' spring training, with 9 players vying for the final offensive spots on the roster.

Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Currently, the Cubs have already locked in several offensive players for the 26-man roster, including Yan Gomes, Miguel Amaya, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Christopher Morel, Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, and Mike Tauchman.

Given MLB roster restrictions, the Cubs are limited to carrying 13 pitchers until September 1st, when it increases to 14. Although they could opt for 12 pitchers due to scheduled off-days early in the season, teams typically prefer a full allotment of 13 out of spring training. With that said, there are only two spots open for nine players.

Before delving into each player's merits, let's recap some Cubs offseason and spring training insights:

• The Cubs prioritize regular at-bats for young players, whether in the majors or minors, presenting a challenge for prospects like Alexander Canario and Matt Mervis.
• The Cubs will not go with a full time DH, instead rotating players based on game situations.
• While Michael Busch is slated as the primary first baseman, the Cubs aim to protect him from left-handed pitchers, so they are looking for a lefty-mashing bat who can also cover first base. This favors Garrett Cooper and Patrick Wisdom.

Now, let's assess the pros and cons of each player:

Nick Madrigal

Pros

• Nicky can cover second and third base and do it well. He is great insurance for Christopher Morel is the experiment goes haywire and could even be used as a defensive replacement late in the game.
• He can provide a nice contact bat off the bench.
• On the 40-man roster.

Cons

• Madrigal does not offer any power upside off the bench which I feel is a need for this Cubs team.
• He can only cover two positions defensively.
• I hate using the word injury prone, but his track record of health is less than ideal.

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Dom Smith

Pros

• Lefty power bat who is RAKING this spring with a 1.181 OPS. Back in 2019-2020 he had a slash line of .299/.366/.571 in just under 400 plate appearances.
• Primary position is first but can handle left field in a pinch.
• Only making $1.75 million this season.

Cons

• He is below average at first base and a liability in left field.
• He is a bit of a wild card when it comes to offensive production.
• Not on the 40-man roster.

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David Peralta

Pros

• Veteran bat who is very well liked in the clubhouse.
• Has some pop in his bat especially against RHP; career .817 OPS.
• Has a low whiff and K rate.

Cons

• Can only handle the corner spots in the outfield and is below average defensively.
• Does not provide high exit velocities, power, or average.
• Not on the 40-man roster.

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Alexander Canario

Pros

• Legit power bat from the right side.
• Can play all three outfield positions and grades out as above average.
• On the 40-man roster.

Cons

• With four outfielders already on the roster he will not get consistent Abs that the Cubs would like to see.
• He does not offer a positional need which is RHB for first base or backup for third.
• Has options left which makes it easier to have him start the season in Iowa.

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Matt Mervis

Pros

• Good power from the left side.
• Can fill a positional need on the roster with both first base and DH.
• On the 40-man roster.

Cons

• While Mervis fits a positional need at first along with DH, Busch has first base locked down and will have a long leash.
• The Cubs are in need for a right-handed option at first, which Mervis does not fill.
• Mervis will lack consistent at-bats on the major-league roster given the current roster construction.

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Garrett Cooper

Pros

• Fits the positional need as a RHB to pair with Busch, good option at DH. Career .816 OPS against LHP but also average against RHP (.756). 
• Above average defensively at first, can play the corner outfield spots in a pinch.
• Power bat from the right side, great sweet spot percentage last year (95), above average for hard hit, barrel, and exit velocity percentages per Baseball Savant. 

Cons

• Has really though competition with Patrick Wisdom, very similar players.
• Can only cover first base and DH.
• Not on the 40-man roster.

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Patrick Wisdom

Pros

• Power bat who is traditionally in the highest marks with exit velocity, barrel %, and hard hit %. Has hit lefties well throughout this career with a .813 OPS.
• He can cover 1B/3B/LF/RF, so he fits the positional needs about as good as any of the nine players battling.
• On 40-man roster.

Cons

• Grades out at below average defensively at third where he has seen the most innings. Also, below average defensively at first and outfield (though in a small sample size).
• Making $2.725 million would normally be a pro however with the Cubs have a similar option in Cooper at less cost and the Cubs near the luxury tax this might be impactful to the Cubs decision on Wisdom.
• On the 40-man roster.

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David Bote

Pros

• David Bote versatility up there with Wisdom and Mastrobuoni. He can cover all infield positions and has added some innings in the outfield this spring.
• Solid bat who has punished the baseball this spring with 4 homers, 8 RBI and a .971 OPS.
• Already has had success at the major-league level.

Cons

• Average defensively across all the spots he can play besides shortstop where he rates below average.
• Does not specifically do one thing well offensively which hurts his chances for the 26-man roster.
• Not on the 40-man roster.

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Miles Mastrobuoni

Pros

• Can play everywhere but first base, center field, and catcher.
• Scrappy ball player who had a much better 2nd half of the season hitting .286 average with a .326 OBP.
• On the 40-man roster.

Cons

• Does not do anything spectacular offensively.
• Does have minor league options available.
• Inconsistent track record offensively. 

Based on this assessment and assuming everyone is healthy by opening day, four contenders emerge as the strongest candidates for the bench: Nick Madrigal, Garrett Cooper, Patrick Wisdom, and Miles Mastrobuoni.

Considering the need for a right-handed hitter to complement Busch at first base, cost-effectiveness, clearing a 40-man roster spot (potentially through Caleb Kilian's transfer to the 60-day injured list), and positional versatility, the likely selections for the final two bench spots are Garrett Cooper and Miles Mastrobuoni.

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[Stratos]

Good article.

I believe there's a 13 max pitchers rule in the MLB now, meaning 13 position players, which is 5 bench players.  Amaya and Tauchman are guaranteed a spot on the bench, so that would leave 3 more spots up for grabs and not 2.  There's a lot of solid bench options, I really don't know how they'll go.

I think they definitely will want another utility INF, so between Madrigal, Mastrobuoni, and Bote.  Mastrobuoni's MLB and ST results so far don't live up to what the tools and AAA stats suggest are possible.  Disappointed in his fielding, and he comes off as a INF version of Tauchman offensively (with more speed) but that hitting just hasn't been there yet and he hasn't offered any power and not a ton beyond Madrigal, he slaps singles to opposite field more than Tauchman it seems.  If healthy I think Madrigal gets the edge because of the glove at 3B to compliment Morel.

I think they definitely also want 1 guy who can play 1B and can hit LHP, so a battle between Wisdom and Cooper.  Cooper is the more versatile hitter but Wisdom is the more versatile fielder, and they may need him at 3B at some point this season if Morel fails badly defensively or is hurt, though Wisdom has minor league options.  Toss up for me there.

I think there's a decent chance they take a second 1B for the bench.  When looking at DH vs LHP the options would be Morel with Madrigal at 3B, Gomes, or Wisdom/Cooper if Busch stays in at 1B.  Vs RHP the option would be Tauchman and that's about it, so they may decide they want a power option to pair with Tauchman, which means Dom Smith or Mervis.  I think Smith gets the edge.  I think the Cubs are curious about Smith after the recent hamate bone surgery, as am I.  But if Counsell wants to use the DH slot to give regulars a rest then the last bench spot could be an OF like Canario or Peralta, guess we'll see.

 

Edited March 18, 2024 by Stratos