The Invaluable Miles Mastrobuoni

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Little though he might match anyone's idea of a star-caliber player, the Cubs' 26th man keeps finding new ways to prove unexpectedly irreplaceable. On a team centered on defense, his glove and its ability to travel around the diamond make him worth keeping around.

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

My viewing relationship with Miles Mastrobuoni is not dissimilar from the previous assertions I made about Mike Tauchman. It boils down to some variation on: “A serious franchise, as the Chicago Cubs are purported to be, would not actively choose to roster a player such as this unless forced to do so.” Versatility can be valued, but not at the complete expense of the bat, given the team’s broader offensive shortcomings.

Ignorant of the team’s positional circumstances, specifically on the infield? Probably. Unfair to the player? Perhaps. Entirely dismissive of my own personal history regarding the profile of the player I prefer? Absolutely. 

I’ve long maintained interest in two types of player profiles that I considered to be my “favorite,” above all others. The first is the elite defender who just can’t hit. “The bat will come around eventually,” I’ve declared on more than one occasion, regarding players like Nick Ahmed. The other is the super-utility type who may or may not be a zero at the plate. Ben Zobrist resided on one end of the spectrum. Chone Figgins was largely on the other. Josh Harrison sat somewhere in the middle, though he’s certainly at the Bad Figgins end now. 

While I’m not ready to work Mastrobuoni into such a prestigious line of previous sentimental favorites, I can acknowledge that there’s at least a conversation to be had. In the absence of Dansby Swanson and (more recently) Nico Hoerner, Miles Mastrobuoni has been a saving grace—of sorts.

Acquired from Tampa Bay ahead of the 2023 season, Mastrobuoni has appeared at five different positions for the Cubs: second base, third base, shortstop, and each of the corner outfield spots. Most of the work has come at the hot corner, where he’s logged over 200 innings.

Everywhere Mastrobuoni has played for the Cubs, he’s come in as at least average defensively. He’s been worth 3 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) across 75-ish innings at second, one in right, and zero at third (indicating average). The Fielding Run Values everywhere also come in at 0. So, while he’s not offering stellar defense, he’s at least providing stability in those instances where his participation becomes necessary. 

At shortstop, though, Mastrobuoni has notched 2 DRS in just 17 innings of work in 2024. That’s, uh, roughly 162 DRS across a full season. Sometimes, numbers are fun, or just funny. Samples this small with metrics as noisy as defensive ones all are carry no real weight. It would at least appear he can hang, though. This play on Wednesday in Atlanta (even with a Michael Busch assist) showed us that. This one on Tuesday showed us the same.

It’s not so much the performance at shortstop that is showcasing Mastrobuoni’s value to the Cubs, though. It’s that it’s happening at all. Without Swanson and Hoerner, the Cubs are in desperate need of an actual shortstop on the roster. That’s especially problematic for a team so heavily predicated on good defensive performance. As there isn’t a ton of clarity regarding Hoerner’s short-term health or where the team stands on calling up Luis Vázquez, it’s a crucial defensive development.

Mastrobuoni’s last real run at the spot came in 2021, when he was in Double-A. It seemed to fade as part of his skill set, with the corners and keystone serving as spots where you could viably place him. The series in Atlanta could very well indicate Mastrobuoni’s place as a legitimately valuable part of this roster. It’s somewhat bereft of versatility; any player who could theoretically move around is limited to just two or three clearly defined spots (Cody Bellinger, Nick Madrigal) or pinned to the bench altogether (Patrick Wisdom). Mastrobuoni offers actual versatility. 

Of course, the bat represents something of a problem, even if we’re just getting a pinch of Mastrobuoni in the mix on a more indefinite basis. His wRC+ sits at 53, he’s reaching base at a .290 clip, and he offers almost no power (.051 career ISO). Even if he’s been a touch unlucky (.190 BABIP, .280 xBA), the upside isn’t there for a super regular role. 

Nevertheless, it’s becoming more difficult to deny the value that Miles Mastrobuoni provides, given the defensive stability he offers at short. If this was a team built to provide more offense and sacrifice some defense in that pursuit, then this is a different conversation. However, given the team’s philosophy and subsequent roster construction, we should probably get used to appreciating exactly what Mastrobuoni adds to the roster.

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