Jun 21, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;
Chicago Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward (22) looks on during batting practice before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY
SportsChicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer may be hesitant to use the word rebuild when discussing the current state of the Cubs’ Major League Baseball team but there is no other way to describe the current state of affairs for the baseball organization.
The Cubs are currently on pace for their first 100-loss season since 2012 and there is little reason to believe that the team is close to their next contending window.
The goal for Hoyer is to build the next great Chicago Cubs team and the intention is to do that with the prospects that the team has within their farm system. The issue that Hoyer may run into is that he has a manager in David Ross that values loyalty over the development of young players.
Prior to their June 10 game against the New York Yankees, the Cubs made a questionable roster move as they designated outfielder Clint Frazier for assignment in order to create an opening on the 40-man roster.
In defending the move, Ross said that the team couldn’t find a spot to play Frazier regularly.
“His ability to show what he’s capable of hasn’t panned out,” said Ross of Frazier, who’s hitting .216/.356/.297 in 19 games. “Not seeing how that is right now with how our roster is constructed, it’s been really tough to find him a spot.
“I think we still all believe that Clint Frazier has got a lot of really good baseball still and his ability,” Ross added. “Him getting the opportunity to go out there and prove it is the hard part right now.”
The reason that there wasn’t a regular spot for Frazier is that Ross has insisted that veteran Jason Heyward remain a regular in the Cubs’ starting lineups when facing a right-handed pitcher.
Heyward is currently hitting .204/.278/.277/.556 on the season with a 59 wRC+. Based on his 59 wRC+, FanGraphs justifies the use of the word “awful” when describing Heyward as an offensive player this season.
The fact of the matter is there is no reason for Heyward to be a regular in the starting lineup given where the Cubs are and the purpose that was outlined by Hoyer.
Heyward likely will not be a part of the next great Cubs team and his playing time should go to a player that has the potential to be a part of the next core.
Such a player could be Nelson Velazquez. Velazquez, 23, has emerged over the course of the past couple of seasons as one of the more prominent offensive prospects that the team has in their minor league system and is currently with the Major League team.
