There was some speculation as to whether one of the young stars of the Chicago Cubs would be able to move up to third base on a regular basis, but it seems unlikely.
The Chicago Cubs were in dire need of an upgrade at third base coming into this offseason.
In order to retain his streaking bat in the lineup, Christopher Morel was moved to designated hitter in place of the defensively struggling position player. Nick Madrigal played extremely little at the plate despite having an OPS+ of 79, despite his superb defensive play. Jeimer Candelario, acquired at the trade deadline, left in free agency, and Patrick Wisdom was demoted to a bench duty.
This winter, the Cubs needed to address that position.
Their ideal scenario would have been for Morel to become their regular third baseman.
By doing this, his bat would remain in the lineup and a space would become available for a reliable hitter who could raise their power profile or provide an extra on-base threat.
Chicago doesn’t appear to be certain that will occur, though.
The Cubs needed to address that position this winter.
Morel becoming their regular third baseman would have been their dream situation.
This would keep his bat in the lineup and free up a spot for a dependable hitter who could increase their power profile or provide them another on-base threat.
However, Chicago doesn’t seem to be certain that will happen.
Of course, with the young talent playing in the Dominican Republic and not collaborating with the Cubs coaching staff on a daily basis, the Cubs haven’t seen much of him this winter.
When he reports for Spring Training, they’ll have a far better idea of his defensive status.
However, Chicago must have a strategy in place to deal with this issue as quickly as feasible.
The greatest third baseman available, Matt Chapman, would be a perfect fit for the Cubs because of his excellent defensive record and strong offensive profile.
Should Morel establish himself as a regular at third base, the front office wouldn’t need to pay top dollar for Chapman’s signing.
But Chicago is back to where they were the previous season and may have lost out on their best winter option if the 24-year-old is unable to play the position consistently.
