Cubs mailbag: Javier Assad, Nick Madrigal and the Opening Day roster puzzle

MESA, Ariz. — Javier Assad’s eye-opening performance in the World Baseball Classic calls back the old saying that Joe Maddon liked to reference: A mind once stretched has a very difficult time going back to its original form. Assad looked so good against the star-studded American lineup that his confidence should be sky-high once he’s done playing for Team Mexico. This is exactly what the Chicago Cubs need to see this year — young players taking big steps forward and showing the organization isn’t that far off from producing a steady wave of impact talent.

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With two weeks remaining in spring training, manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer haven’t yet begun the in-depth conversations about the Opening Day roster. They exchange ideas and maintain an ongoing dialogue, but the harder decisions won’t be made until later in March. Assad was already in the running to be the No. 5 starter in the major-league rotation or the sixth starter held in reserve at Triple-A Iowa, but the Cubs are also considering using him out of the Wrigley Field bullpen.

Assad, 25, put together the kind of highlight reel that will stick in their minds. In throwing three scoreless innings out of the bullpen during Sunday’s 11-5 victory, Assad faced 10 hitters and only allowed a single to Mike Trout. Assad twice struck out Pete Alonso swinging and navigated his final inning against Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. Assad controlled his emotions while pitching at Chase Field in front of a crowd of 47,534.

“I’m sure the juices were flowing,” Ross said. “It looked like he picked up right where he left off leaving camp. He was up to 95 (mph) and really moving the ball around well. His offseason program is obviously paying off. That was really impressive watching him pitch for his country in that environment against that lineup. I knew he was fearless, but you could see it there.”

Javier Assad is shutting the USA offense down 😤 Just 1 hit allowed in 3 IP.

📺: WBC on FS1

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 13, 2023

Assad is the rare Cubs prospect who hasn’t been overly hyped since signing with the organization out of Tijuana in 2015. He made his major-league debut last season and made a good impression with his poise and command, posting a 3.11 ERA across nine games (eight starts). Maybe there is another level here.

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“Sometimes, there are names that aren’t on the radar as much,” Ross said. “You don’t hear about them as much, but they can be really good big-leaguers and impact us winning. Putting yourself on the map and being ready when an opportunity presents itself is extremely important. He got on the velocity program. The stuff continues to tick up. He knows how to pitch, so adding velocity to that is equating to a lot of success.”

Now onto other roster-intrigue questions submitted by readers.

What is Nick Madrigal’s role on this team as currently constructed? — Robert S. 

The Cubs believe Madrigal has at least passed the eye test in spring training and presented himself as a part-time option at third base. If that’s the case, then the evaluation hinges on what he can do offensively and how to make up for all the at-bats he lost due to injuries across the last two seasons.

“He’s got to hit,” Ross said. “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.”

Madrigal just turned 26. He’s not that far removed from being the No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft and a contributor to the White Sox teams that made back-to-back playoff appearances in 2020 and 2021. His elite contact skills could be used in certain matchups and situations. The Cubs are invested in seeing some returns from the Craig Kimbrel trade. If Madrigal struggles without an everyday role, then he could go down to Iowa, but it seems like the Cubs are trying to find a place for him on the Opening Day roster.

“I’m focused one day at a time,” Madrigal said. “I’m feeling really good at the plate. Defensively, I feel like it’s all coming together. My body’s in a completely different spot this year compared to last year. I’m just looking forward to what’s ahead.”

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Are Christopher Morel and Nelson Velázquez better served as part-time contributors on the major-league roster or as everyday players at the Triple-A level (at least for the first half of the season)? — Brian R. 

It sounded like Ross sent an implicit message last weekend when he said the Cubs would be doing a “disservice” to their young players by not giving them consistent at-bats and then expecting them to produce in a limited role once a week. The manager wasn’t commenting on any specific players, but you get the idea that the Cubs are prioritizing long-term development with Morel and Velázquez, hoping to get them in a good rhythm and focus on a few fundamentals before calling them back up to Wrigley Field. In that scenario, Mike Tauchman appears to be the favorite to make the team as an extra outfielder/left-handed hitter off the bench.

What is wrong with Adrian Sampson? — Justin M. 

The Cubs will credit Sampson for his body of work last season (3.11 ERA in 100-plus innings) and view him as a viable depth option this year. But the results in spring training matter for these players on the roster bubble, and so far Sampson has given up eight homers and 13 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings. It’s obvious that Hayden Wesneski has separated himself from Sampson through three scoreless Cactus League starts.

“I’m still going to have the confidence to build off from last year,” Sampson said. “You throw so many bullpens, and then being able to flip the switch to game mode, it should be a shorter process. You should be able to go out there and not think about this kind of stuff and just compete. That’s kind of where I’m at now. Things feel good. My arm health is great. I’m ready to start competing.”

Except the No. 5 starter competition might already be essentially over. The Cubs traded a very good reliever under long-term club control (Scott Effross) last summer because they saw Wesneski’s upside as a starter and respected how the New York Yankees train and instruct their pitchers. The Cubs designated Sampson for assignment last season and then re-signed him to another minor-league deal. It was noticeable that Sampson recently mentioned his versatility as a reliever, and there will be ways for him to contribute at the major-league level over the course of a 162-game season.

“It’s all about stuff I’m working on,” Sampson said. “All that other stuff, you can’t control. You got to let Rossy and Jed and all those guys make those decisions. Luckily for me, I can kind of do whatever they ask. I can come out of the bullpen. I can start. I can do whatever they want.”

Who is battling it out for the last couple bullpen spots? — H. Thomas W.

These Opening Day roster exercises bring attention to those final spots in a way that is out of proportion to the actual importance of those roles. There is almost no job security in being the last man in the bullpen. Minor-league options are valuable from the club’s perspective. Injuries, volatile performances and the starting rotation’s workload all contribute to the churn.

Ethan Roberts’ stuff looked nasty in spring training last year. He earned his Opening Day experience at Wrigley Field. He then went on the injured list in May with right shoulder inflammation and ultimately needed Tommy John surgery.

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Go back to Ross’ first season as manager, the surreal summer training camp at Wrigley Field during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the roster discussions the Cubs held leading into the 60-game season in 2020. Ross later acknowledged “I was wrong” about recommending Dillon Maples over Ryan Tepera. The thinking was Maples’ wipeout slider could be tested in real games and Tepera (who was a little behind schedule) could ramp up at the South Bend alternate site. Since that Maples decision, Tepera has made 145 major-league appearances (3.29 ERA) and signed a $14 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels.

This isn’t exactly a wide-open competition. Michael Fulmer and Brad Boxberger will go into the season as the primary closing options. The Cubs did not stretch out Adbert Alzolay and Keegan Thompson for the fifth-starter competition so they could prepare for more defined bullpen roles. Rowan Wick agreed to a one-year, $1.55 million contract last November rather than moving forward in the arbitration system, which presumably means the Cubs have a plan in mind for him. Ross has described carrying a second lefty reliever beyond Brandon Hughes as a “luxury.”

Mark Leiter Jr. is a right-handed reliever who could function as a second “lefty” given his success against left-handed hitters last season (.571 OPS). Michael Rucker has maintained his spot on the 40-man roster. Julian Merryweather, a right-hander the Cubs claimed off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, has big-time stuff, fastball velocity in the 94th percentile, per Baseball Savant. Merryweather also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 and spent time on the injured list in each of the last three major-league seasons. Tyler Duffey’s durability is a plus (258 career appearances as a reliever with the Minnesota Twins) and the Cubs may think he could have a Tepera-style rebound. The point is that Ross won’t be wowed by spin rates and cool video clips on Twitter.

(Photo of Javier Assad: Zachary BonDurant / USA Today)

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