Chicago Cubs Spring Training Update: Players to Watch
By James Neveau ••
The Chicago Cubs are a lucky team, as they don’t have a whole lot of roster battles going on as they go through spring training in Mesa, Arizona.
Even with the relatively relaxed nature of camp, the Cubs, defending NL Central champions and participants in the last three National League Championship Series, still have some players worth keeping an eye on as they prepare for the season.
Although his spot is already all but guaranteed in the Cubs’ rotation, fans will be wise to keep an eye on Chatwood’s ground ball rate and earned run totals in spring training.
As primarily a ground ball pitcher, Chatwood is hoping to reverse some bad numbers that he put up last season, which were inflated by his poor stats at Coors Field. High elevations in Arizona could lead to a few issues here and there, but if he can get his groundout pitches working, then the Cubs will be quite pleased with their investment.
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The Chicago Cubs pose for a photo while wearing the Stoneman Douglas High School Eagles hats to commemorate the victims of the school's massacre.
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A close-up of a Stoneman Douglas hat with the Cubs logo.
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Stoneman Douglas High School alumnus and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo makes a throw while wearing a Stoneman Douglas Eagles hat.
Rizzo talks to fellow players during practice Feb. 23.
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and first baseman Anthony Rizzo watch practice while wearing Stoneman Douglas Eagles hats.
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Kris Bryant takes a swing while wearing a Stoneman Douglas Eagles hat.
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Cubs players jog during practice Feb. 23.
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A commemorative Stoneman Douglas Eagles hat sits at the Cubs' Feb. 23 practice.
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Rizzo throws a ball while wearing a Stoneman Douglas Eagles hat.
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Cubs catcher Willson Contreras runs while wearing a Stoneman Douglas Eagles hat.
In two seasons with the Cubs, Heyward has struggled, to put it bluntly. The outfielder has found himself out of the lineup more often than he would like, and he will be looking to make even more swing changes under new hitting coach Chili Davis.
Unfortunately for Heyward, he is struggling a bit to start camp, with a 1-for-8 performance at the plate so far. He did register a double against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday for his first spring training hit, and he has drawn a pair of walks, so fans at least have some reason for optimism with him.
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Round numbers are always great, and Bryant has exactly 100 career home runs when you combine regular season and postseason dingers.
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It's okay, Anthony: Kris Bryant narrowly edged out his "Bryzzo" compatriot in 2017 jersey sales, finishing in second place in all of baseball.
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Kris Bryant made history when he signed his 2017 contract, the richest ever given to a non-arbitration eligible player before White Sox star Tim Anderson signed a six year deal a few weeks later.
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Did you know that Kris knows all the words to the "Moana" AND "Frozen" soundtracks? According to his wife Jessica, he does!
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Bryant is willing to take a hit to get a hit: he's the first Cub ever to hit two home runs AND be hit by two pitches in the same game.
Bryant is the youngest player in Cubs history to hit three home runs in a single game, beating the legendary Ernie Banks by 10 DAYS!
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Bryant is also an accomplished thespian, appearing in an episode of “Chicago Fire.”
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Four players in MLB history have won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in back-to-back seasons. Bryant is one of them.
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Kris Bryant is so good that other teams set off fireworks to celebrate his home runs. Yes. Really.
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11 players in MLB history have appeared in 150 or more games in each of their first three seasons. Bryant made that list in 2017.
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CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 17: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs throws to first base in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 17, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Kris Bryant is unfailingly polite: he and his wife Jessica sent thank you notes to fans who sent them wedding gifts!
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His politeness doesn’t always extend to the field, as he was ejected this year for the first time ever.
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Bryant is one of two players in Cubs history to hit 39 or more home runs at the age of 24 or younger, joining Ernie Banks (44 in 1955)
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His 13.6 WAR in his first two MLB seasons was the highest in baseball history
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Bryant had five extra base hits in a single game, making him the first Cubs player to hit that mark since George Gore….in 1885!
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Bryant is not only number one in the hearts of Cubs fans (and skipper Joe Maddon), but he also was the number 1 card in Topps' 2017 set.
Addison Russell
Ben Zobrist’s back issues have kept him off the field, meaning that Russell has been able to play regularly at shortstop this spring. With Javier Baez angling for playing time anywhere he can get it, Russell needs to not only show that he can bounce back from last season’s struggles at the plate, but that his arm is strong enough to keep him at shortstop for the long term.
Kyle Schwarber
Schwarber may have hit 30 home runs last season, but his subpar batting average ultimately led to a brief demotion during the season, and he lost a significant amount of weight as he tries to avoid a similar fate this season.
The real key for Schwarber will be to work counts and to get quality pitches to hit, and he’s doing that a lot early in the spring. The slugger doesn’t have any home runs yet, but he does have four walks already. He does have five strikeouts, but that number will always be high if he’s seeing a lot of pitches, and it’s so far, so good on that front for Schwarber this spring.
Justin Wilson
A massive disappointment after last season’s trade deadline, Wilson has a unique opportunity this spring. The reliever could potentially nail down a seventh or eighth inning job for the Cubs if he can show some serious progress, and he has one strikeout and a scoreless inning of relief on his resume so far this spring.
If Wilson can show the pitch movement and velocity that made him a strong reliever in Detroit, then the Cubs’ reconfigured bullpen could end up being a strength instead of a question mark.
