Madrigal Leading the Way On Third Base Competition for Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs entered the spring with a giant question mark at third base. Who was going to man the hot corner for the North Sides during the 2023 MLB season?

Names such as Patrick Wisdom, Edwin Ríos, and Nick Madrigal all topped the list. But it was going to be a bonafide competition to see who drew the start on Opening Day.

With less than two weeks to go until the start of the regular season, the competition has a clear front runner in Nick Madrigal.

Defensively, he has been sound after making the move from second base following the signing of Dansby Swanson to play shortstop which pushed Nico Hoerner to the keystone.

After an injury-filled 2022 MLB season, Madrigal is completely healthy, which means he should see improvement at the plate. This spring he is slashing .276/.323/.310, something that is not lost on manager David Ross.

“He’s got to hit,” Ross told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. “He still has to perform. That goes for just about everybody. He has missed a lot of time, but he looks really good and his timing looks good. We’ll see how camp plays out, but I definitely think he’s answered questions at third base. There’s no hesitation to put him in there.”

That is a pretty strong indicator that Madrigal is not just the frontrunner for the third base job, but will almost certainly draw the start on Opening Day.

However, as with all close competitions, Madrigal will likely be on a short leash with two other viable options in Ríos and Wisdom waiting in the wings. But by all indications, it's Madrigals to lose until further notice.

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