MESA, Ariz. — Third base has long appeared to be the best path for Christopher Morel to get in the Chicago Cubs lineup, at least in a non-designated hitter capacity.
Morel is now receiving that opportunity to stick at one position. Manager Craig Counsell said Saturday that Morel will focus mainly at third base at the start of camp.
“Let’s evaluate that as we go, but let’s give him a chance at third base, let’s give him some consistency at third base,” Counsell said. “See where we’re at roster wise at some point in camp and then go forward from there.
“I’m really excited about the offensive potential and know that defensively this is still a young player and it’s work. It’s work we’re going to have to put in and see where that work gets us.”
The Cubs relied on a platoon mix at third last season with middling production. The group finished tied for 17th in team bWAR at the position — Nick Madrigal, Patrick Wisdom, Jeimer Candelario and Miles Mastrobuoni each recorded at least 72 plate appearances. Morel provides much more offensive upside and is a regular threat to do damage.
Morel has made 20 big-league starts at third, including four last season when he was limited to just 39 1/3 innings at the position.
“Christopher’s done so much with the bat that it’s our job to figure out the best way to deploy it,” Counsell said. “To say he can play a lot of positions, yes. We have to play them at a certain level that it makes sense for the bat to be in there. And it is harder to play multiple positions, no question about it.”
This represents a shift in the Cubs’ vision for how they anticipated utilizing Morel coming into spring.
During the GM meetings in early November, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Morel would get work at first base in winter ball to increase his versatility. The topic came up again during the winter meetings in early December when Hoyer explained that Morel was doing pregame work at first with his winter team Aguilas in the Dominican Republic, where the organization sent coaches for some hands-on instruction. At the time, Counsell said Morel needed to be in the Cubs lineup but was unsure if by spring he would know Morel’s positional future.
“Now where? That’s what we have to figure out. To sit here on Dec. 3 and say we’ve got to have it figured out or that he might be a versatile piece, like, yeah, Mookie Betts was a versatile piece for a pretty good team,” Counsell said two months ago.
Then, last month at the Cubs Convention, the Morel discussion with Counsell and general manager Carter Hawkins centered on embracing his defensive versatility and getting him work at multiple positions rather than an extended shot at third in spring training.
Only 24 as he enters his third big-league season, Morel made sense as a potential offseason trade chip for the Cubs to bolster other areas of their roster, which also could have allowed Morel to move back to his more natural position, second base, where he is blocked by Gold Glove winner Nico Hoerner.
“Players that get asked about, those are good players so there’s nothing wrong with that,” Counsell said.
Cubs second baseman Christopher Morel, right, is unable to make a barehanded play on an infield hit by Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on July 21, 2023, at Wrigley Field.
Patrick Wisdom is expected to take more reps at first base this spring as they ask him to try some new things as he competes in camp. Despite the offensive funks Wisdom tends to fall into for stretches, he also possesses the power that can change games with a swing. That provides value to Counsell, who said “you find spots for those guys.”
If Morel shows he can be trusted to handling routine plays regularly during camp and be their regular third baseman, it creates an opportunity to acquire another quality hitter to use in the DH spot through free agency or a trade.
There are short- and long-term organizational payoffs. It starts with the work Morel puts in and proving he can sufficiently handle third.
“I look at this as a young player who’s had a lot of offensive success at an early age,” Counsell said. “We’ve got to figure out positionally — we don’t have to decide today — but hopefully get some definition in what we are asking him to do defensively because there’s too much offense there to just ignore that, you know? Obviously finding a defensive position, or finding a role defensively, would help him, but frankly I need some time to kind of digest all that.”
