Javier Baez endured a tumultuous offseason before returning to Triple-A Iowa to start 2015. He's off to a good start in the minors and hopes to return to the Chicago Cubs' 25-man roster, but that simply may not be in the cards right now.
The promotion of Baez is clearly blocked with Starlin Castro at shortstop and Addison Russell at second base and at this point it's unknown what the Cubs are planning to do with both of them. Trade rumors surrounded Castro for much of the offseason and even the beginning of this year, while it was said Russell would certainly be sent back down if he didn't prove to be ready.
After a fast start, Castro has gradually fallen to a slash line of .273/.308/.353 after ending the month of April at .325/.349/.410. However, he's worked on his defense and still remains under a team-friendly contract. Russell is batting .247/.295/.416 with 13 runs scored, 2 home runs and 10 RBIs in 24 games, but he's only received praise from manager Joe Maddon up until this point. They both appear to be mainstays in the middle infield.
Baez has improved his hitting since struggling in the Puerto Rican Winter League and with the Cubs during spring training. He's batting .299/.382/.433 with five runs scored, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 18 games this year and hopes to rejoin the Cubs soon. But unless the team moves Castro or Russell at some point, it doesn't look like that will be happening, especially after recent comments from president of baseball operations Theo Epstein.
"Epstein has said the Cubs won't use Baez in the outfield at Iowa, so if he makes it back, it will be either at shortstop or second," writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
"There's the ability for all our core guys to fit on the field together at the same time if we get to the point where they're all up here together," Epstein mentioned three weeks ago. "But that's thinking really far in the future."
Last week it was mentioned Baez could perhaps be an "expendable" player that the Cubs decide to trade at some point, which promoted rumors about him being dealt for a starting pitcher before the deadline. An MLB scout also said over a week ago that it appeared as if Baez needed a "change of scenery" because he initially struggled when he returned to action this season.
The fact that they will not use him in the outfield suggests somebody could be moved or traded within the next couple of months. It's unknown who, but this will certainly be a headlining topic of discussion as the deadline gets closer. Chicago is in need of starting pitching and possess a surplus of middle infielders, so it's clear where their trade bait will come from.
