Chicago Cubs: Five prospects destined for the expanded roster

Miguel Amaya

The heir apparent at the catcher position; Miguel Amaya hit .235 at High-A Myrtle Beach last season. Ranked as the 95th best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, the 21-year-old’s defense is ahead of his bat. He threw out 33 percent of runners and has consistently hovered around this number throughout the minors.

Expected to start at Double-A this year, Amaya could get some meaningful innings behind the plate in an expanded roster scenario. With Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini planted as the primary and backup catchers, respectively, the Cubs would have to get creative to find playing time for him.

But don’t forget that manager David Ross was on the roster that carried three catchers when Contreras was frequently seen playing in the outfield to accommodate others.

Brennen Davis

After some mechanical tweaks to his swing, Brennen Davis was a superstar in the making for Single-A South Bend last year. He hit a robust .305 while smacking eight bombs and driving in 30 runs in a 50-game sample size. He’s shown the ability to hit to all parts of the field and would have started at Double-A Tennessee this year.

The Cubs outfield is crowded as-is, but could Davis find time in centerfield in place of Albert Almora, who struggled massively last year?

Cory Abbott

Abbott is quietly establishing himself as a potential back end of the rotation guy at the big league level. He spent all of 2019 with Double-A Tennessee, posting a 3.01 ERA with 166 strikeouts in 26 starts. He limited batters to a .210 average, including an incredible .147 in the second half.

He put a stamp on the 2019 season by spinning a 0.98 ERA in August while striking out 50 batters in 36.2 innings and holding batters to a .107 average. Abbott is likely to make the rotation in 2021, and he may get a head start on the expanded roster.