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When the Chicago Cubs first acquired Michael Busch from the Los Angeles Dodgers, my instinct was to immediately evaluate him as part of the picture at third base. The Cubs lacked certainty at both infield corners, sure. But given Busch’s prior role in Los Angeles and an easier road to clarity at first base, it was the logical fit.
My justification existed within that future projection. Patrick Wisdom strikes out too much, for a guy who plays subpar defense. Nick Madrigal doesn’t have the offensive profile needed to play regularly, despite his great glove. The organization has shown almost no interest in allowing Christopher Morel to ply his trade at the spot on anything resembling a long-term basis. On the other side, the team was linked to Rhys Hoskins all winter, with Matt Mervis also waiting for another crack at nabbing a permanent role at the top level.
So, in the face of people much smarter than me declaring otherwise, I honed in on third base as Busch’s immediate spot with the Cubs. Since that time, Hoskins has signed in Milwaukee. Pete Alonso, an apparent trade candidate from the winter’s outset, doesn’t appear likely to be moved prior to his own free agency. With that, there’s also this from Carter Hawkins (via Marquee😞
“Our expectation is he’s on the Opening Day roster," Hawkins said. "I think there’s obviously opportunity at first base — that’s kind of the easy plug-and-play. He’s got really good reviews defensively over there from our scouts that have seen him, from talking to the Dodgers, from obviously seeing him over there.”
Hawkins also offered the caveat that Busch does have a history of time at second and third. He noted that third base will require extensive work from a defensive standpoint, something that makes plenty of sense given the organization’s commitment to upper-tier defense. Nevertheless, the Hoskins signing is what likely seals this more than anything. With no viable candidates existing outside the organization at present, it’s likely going to be Busch, no matter what misguided inklings I had at the time of the trade.
Busch’s professional experience at the position is minimal. In 2023, at Triple A, he started seven games at first base. He spent 10 innings there across four games in the majors, but no starts. That’s it. Until he was drafted, though, first base was his primary position. He played 158 games there at North Carolina, and another 66 in wood-bat summer leagues. He's more comfortable at that spot than anywhere else on the diamond, even if he hasn't made it his primary home in a few years.
It makes sense to stick Busch at first, especially since the path to clarity now seems more obvious on the other side of the infield. You can survive with a combination of Wisdom and Madrigal there. You can sign Matt Chapman. There are a couple of prospects scratching the upper levels of the minors. The intrigue exists far more there (in both the short and long term) than it does at first base. Busch as the guy getting the run out of the gate makes multiple degrees of sense.
Of course, that also creates a massive question pertaining to one former darling prospect: Matt Mervis. After his power bat broke him onto the scene as a potential future first baseman, he sipped 99 plate appearances' worth of coffee in 2023. That culminated in a .167/.242/.289 line, with an ISO of just .122 and a strikeout rate a touch over 32 percent. Mervis went to Iowa and adjustments were made, but not to the degree of really impacting outcomes. Cody Bellinger’s extensive, health-related run at the spot helped to hold Mervis down indefinitely. In terms of the “future” context, Mervis’s demotion seemed more permanent, as the discussion moved to names like Alonso or Hoskins.
Busch anchoring first base would seem to indicate a fair amount of gloom and doom for Mervis’s future on the North Side. Busch doesn’t offer the power that Mervis could, but his 20-plus homer potential isn’t exactly a far cry from Mervis's upside. Add in more contact and more athleticism and there’s plenty of logic in it being Busch over Mervis. When you add in Morel’s standing as the team’s full-time designated hitter, Mervis gets squeezed out, quickly and easily.
So it would, in fact, appear that the Cubs were at least able to solve one part of their corner infield puzzle with the Busch acquisition. Maybe they even answered the question of what happens with Mervis moving forward (if Busch succeeds). Third base is still in question, but there are bodies available, inside and outside of the organization. Maybe Busch thrives and Mervis hits. That would be a nice problem to have. Regardless of the way it shakes out, though, it’s a situation that offers far more intrigue than hoping Eric Hosmer and/or Trey Mancini can hold it down over the course of a full season.
Where do you like Busch's fit on the roster best? Would you make room for Mervis, or start looking to trade him? Weigh in below, and let's get a brainstorm going.
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