While Cubs' prospect Kris Bryant is shining in spring training, another youngster is struggling. Javier Baez has been having trouble at the plate since late last season and those woes have continued in the months that followed.
Baez made an excellent impression when he was called up from Triple-A Iowa last season and smacked a game-winning home run in his first start with the team. However, he struck out 95 times in 213 at-bats, which prompted the Cubs to work on tweaking his hitting mechanics in the offseason and help Baez make more contact and avoid striking out so much. His .169/.227/.324 stat line in 52 games with Chicago was not going to convince the team to keep him in a starting role.
Unfortunately, Baez has continued to struggle with his contact and strikeout issues in both the Puerto Rican Winter League and spring training. The 22-year-old went 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in the playoffs with his Puerto Rican team and has been just as bad during his second spring training with Chicago. He's 3-for-30 (.100 average) with three runs scored, one home run, one RBI, two stolen bases and 11 strikeouts in 10 games.
"Of course, there's a chance he doesn't make the team," manager Joe Maddon told Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. "There's no lock in regard to that. I talked about the entitlement program. It doesn't exist. Everything has to be earned."
Maddon's comments echo what general manager Jed Hoyer told reporters back in January.
"He has to earn his playing time, I don't think there's any question," Hoyer told the Chicago Sun-Times. "He's got a new manager and some new coaches to impress."
The problem for Baez is that the Cubs have options to replace him at second base for the time being, so it's a very real possibility he starts the season in the minors to regain his composure and get into a rhythm. Arismendy Alcantara was primarily a middle infielder before the Cubs moved him to center field, but now that the team acquired Dexter Fowler this offseason to play center, Alcantara can fill in at second. Chicago also traded for second baseman Tommy La Stella, thus indicating there is no rush to rely on Baez.
Nonetheless, Baez's teammates are still looking out for him.
"I just try to tell him to get his confidence," shortstop Starlin Castro told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. "When you got your confidence, something good is going to happen because you trust yourself. And I think it's a little lost in his play right now. But I tell him try to get your confidence back. You'll be all right. And don't think too much. It's spring training. We're here for a long time. We're here to be ready."
There's still a lot of time left for Baez to rebound, but right now his case to start on Opening Day is not a strong one.
