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The Chicago Cubs have already impressed this season, going through the first two months of the season above .500. If they hope to reach the playoffs, they’re also likely to pull off a trade for some pitching. To add hitting to the lineup, they may not need to trade at all.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon said the catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber could help the team this season. It’s easy to see why he would say that.
After being taken fourth overall in the 2014 MLB Draft, Schwarber has torn his way through minor league pitching in a very similar fashion super prospect Kris Bryant did just a year before him. Unlike Bryant, he didn’t have a contract dispute, so he got a few more months of minor league playing time in his rookie year of pro ball.
Schwarber has played his entire season at Double-A Tennessee and is hitting .305 with 10 home runs and 26 RBI. Generally, Double-A is considered the best level of minor league pitching, despite the fact Triple-A is the highest level of minor league baseball.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, Chris Coghlan is batting just .214 with seven homers and 11 RBI. He has hit for pretty impressive power, but he’s looking more like a good role player than a solid everyday player. If the Cubs slide Schwarber into left field by after the All-Star Break, he can get acclimated down the stretch.
Quite simply, calling up Schwarber would give them the best chance to win in 2015; it would maximize the potential of their roster. Sure, they could wait until a few weeks into 2016 like they did with Bryant to delay his clock, but the Cubs are going to be competitive in the future.
If it means helping the Cubs win this season, it’s worth starting Schwarber’s clock a year sooner. After all, a World Series championship on the North Side of Chicago is priceless.
