Chicago Cubs: Can Jeimer Candelario Make the Opening Day Roster?
He has the talent to make it, but can the Chicago Cubs find room on the Opening Day roster for Jeimer Candelario?
Everybody knows that the Chicago Cubs have a roster loaded with talent all over the field. They are extremely deep at all offensive positions, which will allow Joe Maddon to mix-and-match his lineup on pretty much a daily basis.
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With the Cubs having an extreme depth of position players, it will be difficult to find time for some deserving young players. Jeimer Candelario stands out as a guy who needs a major league opportunity. However, Candelario could not possibly be more blocked than he is right now.
Candelario has come through the Cubs minor league system as a third baseman, with his second position being first base. That means that he is blocked by reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant and his running mate Anthony Rizzo. On top of that, Maddon uses third and first base to help get Javier Baez into the lineup.
Despite the lack of a path to playing time, Candelario may force his way onto the big league roster this season. He is an extremely smooth and productive offensive player who is ready for a shot at the big time. Candelario did get a cup of coffee with the Cubs last season, but only had one hit in 11 at-bats before getting sent back to Triple-A.
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Last season at Triple-A Iowa, Candelario hit an incredible .333/.417/542 on the year. He is an extremely patient hitter who has great control of the strike zone, shows fantastic contact skills and has more pop in his bat than he is typically given credit for. Candelario is an extremely productive offensive player in the making.
Now, he has shown up to Spring Training and is playing at a very high level. Candelario is clearly one of the 25 most talented player on the Chicago Cubs. However, can they find room for him on the 25-man roster?
Honestly, it’s a pretty simple equation. The Cubs are undoubtedly going to start the season with at least 12 pitchers. The versatility of guys like Baez, Bryant and Ben Zobrist will allow them to go with 13 pitchers if they would like.
After putting in the obvious players, this leaves one or two spots for Candelario, Tommy LaStella or Matt Szczur. Honestly, I imagine that the Cubs will start the year with 13 pitchers, meaning only one of these guys will likely make the opening day roster.
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Szczur probably has the upper hand because he does not have any minor league options. So, the Cubs will have to waive him in order to send him down. However, Szczur probably has enough value on the market where the Cubs could get something in return for him. Szczur is a nice depth piece, but the Cubs could move on if needed.
La Stella and Candelario both still have options remaining. However, will La Stella accept an assignment to Triple-A? He would not go down last season, instead just staying away from the team for about a month. But if that is the way he is going to act, maybe the Cubs would be better off just parting ways anyway?
Candelario has plenty of options, but he is probably the most talented player of the bunch. He is far and away the less-proven option, but Candelario also has the most upside by a wide margin. His switch-hitting bat coming off of the bench would be much scarier for opposing teams than either La Stella or Szczur. Plus, he would be a solid everyday option if injuries happen.
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Putting Candelario on the opening day roster probably means getting rid of both Szczur and La Stella. Considering the Cubs could just send him back to Triple-A to rake, I do not know if it is worth the trouble. However, Candelario may just force their hand. He is an extremely talented player who needs an opportunity soon. Whether that is with the Chicago Cubs or not remains to be seen.