Does Matt Mervis Have a Chance Against the Cubs' Free Agent Aspirations?

The Chicago Cubs have plenty of options at first base in 2023, including Matt Mervis and a crop of veteran free agents.

Author:
Luke Parrish
Publish date:
Nov 12, 2022 6:00 PM EST

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Chicago Cubs

Free agency is open across Major League Baseball and the Chicago Cubs are expected to be busy. They have several holes to fill on the roster, including a first base spot that is completely up in the air for next season.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2022 minor league season was the rise of Matt Mervis. The 24-year-old slugger climbed the minor league system, dominating at every level. Across three levels, Mervis launched 36 home runs while toting a .984 OPS and a .309 batting average.

There is no doubt that his bat will play at the Major League level, but the Cubs have not committed to Mervis quite yet. With links to several veterans for the upcoming season, the debate lingers on.

José Abreu could be a candidate to fill the need and it would only require a brief trip to the north side of Chicago for one of the more consistent hitters on the market.

The alternative with a player like Abreu would be to platoon the two hitters. Mervis would start against right-handed pitching while Abreu would get the lefties. Both could also serve as DH on some of their regular off days to provide some pop in the lineup.

Anthony Rizzo making a return to Chicago is also in the cards, after a brief stint with the New York Yankees. The Cubs could desperately use a leader in the clubhouse with such a young roster coming up and Rizzo's familiarity with the organization could be immensely valuable.

The other free agents to monitor include Trey Mancini, Miguel Sanó, Josh Bell, and Carlos Santana. So all of this begs the question: what should the Cubs do at first base next season?

Matt Mervis has been everything the Cubs have needed during his early journey through the ranks. The offense lacks power but they finally have a prospect that can provide that immediately and he fills a massive need.

With so many other areas to clean up, especially if the goal is to compete in 2023, Chicago should give Mervis a chance to win the starting job. They can platoon him with another veteran, likely Abreu or Patrick Wisdom, and get him meaningful at-bats as soon as possible.

If the Cubs are going to make any splashes in free agency, they should be elsewhere on the roster.