The Cubs current roster is at 36, with 11 players still in the conversation for about two or three open roster spots. What many thought would be an open and closed case for the final bench spots has turned into a gripping debate between taking a role player or adding a prospect to the roster.
With players like Tommy La Stella and Matt Szczur on this roster, both seemed like easy selections for Maddon to add on to his bench. But, with Miguel Montero, Javier Baez, and Albert Almora or Jon Jay all with daily reserved seats on the Cubs bench, the club is in need of a left handed-hitting bat to use for pinch hitting purposes, particularly one that plays the infield. And while La Stella makes the most sense, and with the Cubs reportedly trying to trade Szczur, the decision is not that simple.
For those who may be unaware, the Cubs No. 2 overall prospect Ian Happ is tearing up Mesa, AZ right now. And while everyone expected his spring training appearance as nothing more than a meet and greet of the actual major league ball club, Happ is making it difficult for the Cubs to send him back to the minors. Currently, the sweet-swinging switch-hitting Happ is clobbering major league pitching, as the tweet below points out. He leads the team in RBI's with 17 and is tied for the team lead with Addison Russell.
Happ has solemnly no business being this good this quickly, but he's easily been the Cubs most impressive hitter this spring, and would be an excellent addition to the team in 2017. With his ability to hit from both sides of the plate, while also having the versatility to play both corner outfield spots and 2nd base, Happ is the exact player-type Joe Maddon loves to collect. Maddon was even saying he would love to get him reps at 3rd base at some point this spring as well. However, the argument can also be made that while Happ is crushing everything he sees right now, it would be more beneficial for him to be playing on a regular basis. Plus, the kid is incredibly hot at the plate right now, but it's not unheard of for young players to slow down as teams start to scout and adjust their approach against the youngster. I've also heard from plenty of scouts and respected media members that the Cubs plan on sending Happ to AA Tennessee to start the season, and while he may still be on this spring training roster, the 22-year-old should expect to start the season as a Tennessee Smokie and not a Chicago Cub.How's your spring going? 👀 pic.twitter.com/fVxP5YEISA
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 26, 2017
That also means Tommy La Stella is going to start with the club to start the season, but unlike Matt Szczur, the infielder still has options left on his contract. So if Happ continues to tear the cover off the baseball, La Stella or any other fringe bench player won't be keeping the promising prospect from reaching the big leagues in 2017. While it would be fantastic to see Happ break camp apart of the major league roster, the reality of the situation is the Cubs just don't have a spot for him right now. With Kyle Schwarber, Jon Jay, Albert Almora, Ben Zobrist, and Javier Baez, the Cubs already have a log jam of players that deserve to be everyday starters, adding Happ to the mix would do nothing but hurt his development. Even if he was continue to hit like he is currently, Happ's bat is still unproven and won't unseat any of the five I just mentioned, not yet at least. His best case to make the Cubs ball club is to continue to keep hitting, prove he doesn't belong in the minors, and find his way to the roster later this season. While a door is opening with the potential departure of Matt Szczur, Happ is not going to be the direct replacement for him, not yet. However, the future looks bright for Ian Happ and the Chicago Cubs.Ian Happ making the 25-man is not a thing.
— Jared Wyllys (@jwyllys) March 26, 2017
