Exciting Chicago Cubs Prospect May Work Way To Wrigley Field Before 2023 Ends

One of the most exciting Chicago Cubs prospects could make his way to the Big League club by the end of the 2023 MLB season.

The Chicago Cubs massively improved their depth in the offseason.

Don’t forget about player development, too.

Matt Mervis is a perfect example.

He was signed as a non-drafted free agent following the shortened five-round draft in 2020. The Duke product has worked his way through the Minor Leagues and could be primed for his professional debut this season.

Between the Minor League season and the Arizona Fall League, Mervis hit 42 home runs and drove in 131 RBI to go along with 104 runs scored in 154 games.

In 137 games, the left-handed hitter slashed .309/.379/.606 between high-A and Triple-A.

Mervis is scheduled to compete for Team Israel in the upcoming World Baseball Classic in March.

"I mean, I think the first thing I thought was like, 'He's a big human being,'" Cubs manager David Ross told reporters at spring training about Mervis. "His presence in the box. How simple his swing is. He asks a lot of the right questions. He's got a really nice way about how he thinks about the game, how he thinks about his team. He's a worker and a guy that is very focused and committed to his craft."

Mervis started at first base and walked twice in Sunday’s 9-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While Mervis is likely to start the season in the Minors, he could easily receive an early call-up with injuries or simply his stellar play.

"I'm happy with where my swing's at mechanically," Mervis said. "It's just continuing to work on swinging at the right pitches, getting myself in good counts and, if I get something good to hit early in the count, then be aggressive on that and not miss it.

"Mechanical work can be done early in the day. And then once the game starts, it's just hitting."

Mervis was a standout last season in Minor League play and everyone is noticing.

For Mervis, nothing has changed. Not his preparation. Not his work ethic.

"It happened fast, but this is what I expected," Mervis said. "When I signed, this was the vision I had in my head -- realistic or not, I didn't know at the time. But I was expecting to be in Triple-A by the end of my second year and knocking on the door to the big leagues. That's the position I put myself in and hopefully I just capitalize from here."

More From SI's Inside The Cubs

1. Could Mike Trout Request a Trade to the Chicago Cubs?
2. Did David Robertson Net the Cubs a Future Star in Ben Brown?
3. Hoerner is the Cubs Shortstop of the Future
4. Cubs Could Give Canario a Shot in September
5. Could the Cubs Land Trea Turner in the Offseason?
6. Chicago Cubs Have a New Top Prospect in Their Rankings
7. Is This Top Cubs Prospect Destined for the Mound at Wrigley?
8. Steele Offers Glimpse Into Future of Cubs Rotation
9. Do the Chicago Cubs Have the National League's Best Bullpen?
10. Can Christopher Morel be a Long-Term Solution in Center Field

---

Make sure to follow Inside the Cubs on Twitter!