Time flies when you're having fun, and that's what the Chicago Cubs are doing in spring training. We are under three weeks from the 2024 Cubs kicking off the regular season in Arlington, Texas. As the days left in camp dwindle, so must the number of players on the Cubs roster.
Eventually, 26 players will be named to the Opening Day roster, and the others will be distributed to the minor league affiliates or cut. On Friday, the Cubs announced they have reduced the number of rostered players from 62 to 50. The roster now consists of 27 pitchers, 5 catchers, 11 infielders, 6 outfielders, and 1 infield/outfielder. This includes 16 non-roster invitees.
We have seen a youth movement in Mesa so far this spring. The Cubs have several top prospects on display and are performing at a high level. This made some of these decisions difficult to make. But the Cubs roster has a beautiful problem - an overflow of talent. Although they have been optioned or assigned to minor league camps, keep an eye on these five players to impact the Cubs in 2024.
Pete Crow-Armstrong Will Impact the Cubs' 2024
The top prospect in the Cubs organization, Pete Crow-Armstrong, had his eyes set on a roster spot at the beginning of spring training, especially with the Cubs' offseason activity. But those chances became less likely after the Cubs re-signed Cody Bellinger and stated their commitment to Michael Busch at first base. PCA was optioned to AAA Iowa on Friday.
If he were to make the major league roster, PCA would not get nearly as many opportunities as he will starting in Des Moines. When he was a September call-up in 2024, we saw how much the lack of consistency impacted his flow and effectiveness at the plate. It would be the same story if he broke camp with the Cubs because he would not be a starter.
But PCA will be called up in 2024 and have a second chance to shine in the bigs. Whether it is due to injury, due to trade, or to add depth, PCA will be back on the North Side of Chicago at some point. He will stay active and ready with Iowa until his number is called, which might be the last time he's ever called up. He might stick around.
Ben Brown Could Provide Eventual Pitching Depth In The Majors
Big Ben Brown came to the Cubs organization through the trade that sent reliever David Robertson to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. After an oblique injury kept him out for a while in 2023, his focus shifted from starting games to coming out of the bullpen. It didn't improve anything for him, but hope was high entering camp this year.
Brown has pitched six innings for the Cubs this spring. He has five strikeouts but has given up three walks and three hits, resulting in one earned run. Still, this is a vast improvement and exactly what the Cubs wanted to see out of him in camp. He'll build on this momentum as he begins his 2024 with AAA Iowa.
Manager Craig Counsell specifically named Brown as a player who he sees being on the major league roster at some point in 2024. Brown will continue working in Iowa and wait for his turn to make his major league debut. We could see him after the All-Star break, but an unexpected injury could bring him up to the Cubs in 2024 sooner than that.
Matt Shaw Is On A Quick Path To The Bigs
The Cubs drafted Matt Shaw in the first round of the 2023 draft out of Maryland. He immediately went to work with high-A South Bend but ended the year with AA Tennessee, pulverizing opposing pitching in both spots. He was assigned to minor league camp on Friday.
Shaw has had a spring that has had Cubs fans remembering his name. Drafted as a second baseman, Shaw has seen time all over the infield while ripping extra-base hits at the plate. He spent his offseason working on his defense at third base, a position Craig Counsell has deemed "fluid" going into the regular season. If he makes it to the bigs, he may come to play third.
The Cubs drafted Nico Hoerner in 2018, and he made his major league debut in 2019. The weird 2020 season prevented him from joining a roster, but he returned to the club in 2021. This is the last time we have seen the Cubs draft a player and have him in the majors just a year later. If Shaw continues his path of destruction at his next assignment, we may see him follow Hoerner's quick path to the top.
Honorable Mentions To Play For The Cubs In 2024
We have seen a lot of raved reviews on Owen Caissie so far this spring. He was designated to minor league camp on Friday but could move around quickly. If Pete Crow-Armstrong is called up to Chicago, there is a good chance he does not go back down. If Caissie is starting in AA Tennessee, he could see a quick jump to AAA Iowa to fill PCA's void. But he could also stay and be a candidate to leapfrog to Chicago and play for the Cubs in 2024.
We have seen a lot of movement with Kevin Alcantara ever since he came to the Cubs organization. He has previously spent a small amount of time at the major league level at times of need. With his experience there, he is someone the Cubs may rely on in a pinch. But he is always someone they have in the back pocket.
Brennen Davis had an excellent spring training until he got hit in the head during an at-bat. The Cubs placed him in concussion protocol, and he has been out of the lineup for over a week. This is a big year for Davis as the one-time top prospect is battling back from injuries that have kept him down the last couple of seasons. If he comes back and continues what he was doing in the spring, he could be in contention for a September call-up.
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