After an off-season where we wondered if baseball would start on time or at all, it is wonderful to type that today, April 7th is Opening Day. Although Spring Training was shorter this year, it was full of good signs for Cubs baseball from the majors to the minors. In only a few games played, prospects Brennan Davis, James Triantos, and Alex Canario all recorded an OPS of 1.200 or higher. They were not the only prospects to have a successful spring. Here we will look at players on the Opening Day roster who also showed promise.
Frank Schwindel
Frank Schwindel had a great showing with Chicago last year. He was one of the “fun” parts of a team that was not much fun to watch down the second half of the year and looks to turn that around this year. After he hit over .300 with an OPS over 1.0, there were some questions on if he could keep that up. So far though, he does not look like he has slowed down.
Frank was able to get into 8 games this spring and record 18 at-bats. Frank hit .389, with a .500 OBP and an OPS of 1.056. His defense looked decent, although he did commit one error. That is what spring is for though. All things considered, Schwindel looks more than ready to build on his hot second half from 2021.
Frank Schwindel is hitting .400 this spring. pic.twitter.com/oR12kjmwF4
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 2, 2022
Alfonso Rivas III
I have not seen an announcement regarding if Rivas has made the Opening Day Roster, but he certainly made a case for it this spring. Currently, FanGraphs projects Rivas to get about 100 plate appearances with the Cubs and is one of five position players on the bench.
Alfonso Rivas III got into 14 games this spring and recorded 30 at-bats. Rivas slashed .333/.444/.533 for an OPS of .978. He also showed solid plate discipline working six walks. The 25-year-old played in 18 games with the Cubs last year, hitting .318 including his first MLB hit against the other guys on the South Side.
Rivas adds power and average from the left side of the plate and offers a great platoon option for David Ross to give Schwindel some rest during the season. He can also play the outfield at times. Alfonso Rivas can play a role similar to Yan Gomes, giving the starter some rest while still providing value to the offense. Helping Schwindel and Contreras’ longevity in the season will put the team in a better position in August and September. Rivas offers a lot of upside to this team, hopefully, he makes the Opening Day Roster.
Alfonso Rivas picks up his first big league hit on the first pitch he sees! pic.twitter.com/1b4h7iLesw
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 29, 2021
Willson Contreras
Last on the list is Willson Contreras. After picking up Yan Gomes for a backup role, it looks like Contreras will be able to get some days off in 2022 and keep production up. Willson played in 10 games this spring and got 19 official at-bats. His average was low, .211, but he made up for that with power and plate discipline.
Despite hitting .211, his OBP and Slugging% were .464 and .526, leading to great OPS of .991. Conteras worked 8 walks compared to 7 strikeouts and offered power too. In his 19 at-bats, he added 2 home runs. Willson continues to demonstrate good defense, plate discipline, and power, as well as being a veteran leader in the clubhouse. It is always good to see Conteras succeed considering all he has done for the Cubs, hopefully, he keeps this path up and is rewarded with a lucrative extension.
WILLSON CONTRERAS CRUSHES THIS ONE! 💪🏼
(📸: @WatchMarquee) pic.twitter.com/54t2RI1mMs
— Cubs Zone ™️ (@CubsZone) April 4, 2022
Bullpen Pitching?
A few bullpen arms also looked nice this spring. Jesse Chavez, Ethan Roberts, and Scott Effross are among the arms that will be on the Opening Day roster who had success this Spring. Keep an eye out for a preview of the bullpen coming out later from Ed!
