Chicago Cubs Season Report Card: Shortstop |
If this team wants to improve its roster for 2025, it will require a lot of creative thinking. Not only are most of the starting nine spots accounted for already, but several players have a no-trade clause, which makes things even harder to do.
For those who don't have a no-trade clause, they could be on the chopping block if the Cubs are going to make a trade this offseason, but one person who won't be going anywhere is Dansby Swanson. In case you haven't guessed, we are discussing the Cubs shortstops for the season and grading them based on their overall performance. The Cubs' shortstop position has always been an area of strength, whether at the MLB or MILB levels, in terms of overall depth and prospects. Here are the season report cards for the shortstop position:
Two years into his massive seven-year deal, Swanson has yet to come close to living up to his contract. In 2023, Swanson got off to a blistering start before fading in the second half of the season. This season was the opposite, as he struggled to find his footing for nearly three months before turning it on in the second half. His defensive ability certainly hasn't been an issue, but when you look at what he has done offensively, he hasn't produced at the level you would expect from a guy making 27 million dollars, but that is the case for many guys on this team. The Cubs may face the harsh reality that this is the type of player Swanson is, which is a really good player but not the superstar-level player that the Cubs thought they were getting. Swanson does have durability going for him, as he continues to play in as many games as possible. This season, Swanson saw action in 149 games, hitting .242 with 16 homers and 66 RBIs. He also added a career-high 19 stolen bases as he did add that element to his game this season.Dansby Swanson
Season Grade C
Swanson has been a frustrating player since arriving in Chicago, mainly because of his inconsistency. When he is on, he is one of the better players on this team and has even carried the team at times. When he's cold, he is a liability at the plate, and the lack of overall contact is a massive concern. The Cubs would love for him to be more consistent next season, as they need more consistency across their lineup.
Miles Mastrobuoni
While consistency was an issue for the Cubs this season, so were the overall struggles of some of their bench players, as several players were liabilities. Miles Mastrobuoni is one of those guys, and the Cubs have a decision to make regarding his roster spot next season.
If you ask the fans, the decision on him would be easy, as most want nothing to do with him. However, given his defensive versatility and the overall speed that he offers, the Cubs may, at the very least, bring him back to the organization, where they can use him as a AAA depth piece.
Mastrobuoni has consistently shown the ability to hit in the Minors, to the point where he is starting to become one of those AAAA players. However, when he gets his chance in the majors, his production goes downhill, although he did show some signs of life toward the end of 2023. This season was a struggle for Mastrobuoni, as he played in 50 games but only logged 98 at-bats.
Mastrobuoni only hit .194 for the season and drove in just two runs. That type of production won't be missed next season if he isn't around, but you have to feel for him, as he wasn't getting the plate appearance he hoped for.
Season Grade F: Not having the consistency you want is a big reason for a team's struggles, but having five of your opening 13 players post Fs for grades is a massive issue. That is 33% of your roster failing in some regard, which goes to show you how badly the Cubs roster was constructed this season.
The front office must move away from the small market model of signing players based on past seasons and their overall projections. That has been their biggest issue the past few seasons, as they banked on players performing above expectations, and for the most part, that hasn't happened.
