When Javier Baez homered in his MLB debut last season, he was viewed as part of the future of the up-and-coming Chicago Cubs roster. However, there are a number of factors to suggest he no longer is, which could mean Chicago is looking to trade him.
Baez logged 52 games with the Cubs last season. After a fast start, the 22-year-old quickly came back down to earth and finished with a slash line of .169/.227/.324 with 25 runs scored, 9 home runs, 20 RBIs and a whopping 95 strikeouts in 229 plate appearances. Hit contact and strikeout issues continued into the offseason as well.
After struggling in the Puerto Rican Winter League, Baez joined Chicago for spring training and failed to make the 25-man roster after batting .182/.237/.236 with seven runs scored, one home run, one RBI and 21 strikeouts in 17 games (58 plate appearances). The prospect was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, but then his younger sister unexpectedly passed away and he returned to Puerto Rico for a short leave of absence.
Much hasn't changed since he recently returned to the Iowa Cubs. In eight games he's slashing .226/.273/.387 with one run scored, one home run, two RBIs and 10 strikeouts (33 plate appearances). This has prompted a scout to weigh in on the youngster's future, especially with Starlin Castro at shortstop and Addison Russell at second base for Chicago, which indicates there's no room for Baez.
"With all the Cubs' great prospects, one scout says Javier Baez is getting lost in the shuffle after a rough start last year," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. "'He needs a change of scenery,' the scout said."
The success of Castro and Russell has seemingly made Baez expendable. Castro's improved defense and consistent offense has probably made the team reconsider trading him (if it was ever considered, being that trade rumors previously suggested it), especially since he's under a team-friendly contract. The 25-year-old is batting .295/.319/.357 with 10 runs scored, 2 home runs and 17 RBIs in 27 games.
On the other hand, Russell has been exactly what the Cubs had hoped for. The prospect was called up on Apr. 21 and got off to a slow start, but since then he's notched a 10-game hit streak and is batting .264/.291/.491 with seven runs scored, two home runs and seven RBIs in 14 games.
"The ball comes off the bat hot," manager Joe Maddon said of Russell, via Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. "He's got a really sound approach to the ball with his hands and the way he flicks the bat head at the ball. That's where all this pop's coming from.
"And as he gets more comfortable - heads up."
However, it's been said the Cubs view shortstop as the best position for Russell, so the thought processes of president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer could still be focusing on shifting around the infield.
Whatever the case, it's clear Baez still isn't ready for major league action. It's more than likely the Cubs roll with Castro and Russell in their middle infield for a little while and Baez could be dangled in trade talks, perhaps for another starting pitcher or an outfielder.
