5 offseason updates about Chicago Cubs prospects who could play in Iowa this summer

 Tommy Birch, Des Moines Register

It may be hard to believe, but baseball is right around the corner. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training next month, signifying the unofficial start of the season.

The 2023 season should be an interesting one, not only for the Chicago Cubs but the Iowa Cubs too. Many of the organization's top prospects could once again make their way to the Triple-A affiliate when the season starts on March 31.

We recently caught up with Jared Banner, Chicago's vice president of player development, to get an update on some key contributors who could be playing in Des Moines this summer. Here's a look at how things are going for them during a busy offseason.

1.Brennen Davis has "no limitations"

The 2022 season was supposed to be a big one for Davis. The outfielder, who finished the 2021 season in Triple-A, began 2022 in Iowa being just one short step away from the majors. But Davis struggled out of the gate, underwent back surgery and missed the bulk of the season before returning at the very end.

Davis briefly played in the prestigious Arizona Fall League but missed more time with back soreness. He's ranked the second-best prospect in the organization, according to MLBPipeline. Banner said he's fully recovered and has "no limitations at this time."

“He’s doing well,” Banner said. “He’s feeling healthy. He’s been spending a lot of time at our complex this offseason with our staff. I think he’ll be in a great place physically when camp starts.”

2. Alexander Canario won't be ready for the start of the season

Canario was one of the key pieces of the Kris Bryant trade when the Cubs picked him up from the San Francisco Giants in 2021. He boasts a powerful bat, strong arm and great athleticism that he showed off at three different levels last season. Canario belted 37 homers and 26 doubles and finished the season in Des Moines.

Canario likely would have started the 2023 season in Iowa and made a case for his first big-league promotion. But that timeline has been slowed down after he suffered a fractured ankle in winter ball. Banner said he’s not expected to be ready for spring training and the Cubs have no timetable for when he could return.

“He’s doing pretty well—not anywhere near baseball activities yet, but recovering well,” Banner said. “The doctors are pleased with where he is. So, he’s going to have a little bit of a longer road back, but so far so good.”

3. Matt Mervis will get a big opportunity this spring

Mervis was one of the biggest surprise stories in all of Minor League Baseball last season. The left-handed hitting first basemen signed with the Cubs as a free agent out of Duke after going undrafted in the abbreviated 2020 draft.

He struggled during his first pro season but had a breakout campaign in 2022 when he played across three different levels and walloped 36 homers and drove in 119 runs.

The plan is to bring Mervis to spring training to get a good look at him. Could he earn a Major League roster spot already? The Cubs haven’t fully filled the gap at first base, though the offseason isn’t finished and new addition Cody Bellinger has logged playing time there as well. There are some other options too, but Mervis could make a compelling case.

“I think the key is for him to show up to camp with something to prove all over again,” Banner said. “I think he came in with that mentality last year and he backed it up after such an impressive season. I think the key is to stay focused on getting a little bit better every day and letting the results follow a good process.

4. Don't forget about Miguel Amaya

Amaya is the forgotten prospect of the organization. The 23-year-old was one of the team’s biggest prospects and even earned back-to-back appearances at the All-Star Future’s Game in 2018 and 2019. The thought at one point was that Amaya may even take control of things behind the dish once Willson Contreras’ time in Chicago came to an end.

But things haven’t gone according to plan for Amaya. He didn’t play in 2020 when the MiLB season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then appeared in just 23 games in 2021 because of a forearm strain. He missed most of the 2022 season because of Tommy John surgery and then suffered a foot injury too.

“Amaya is doing well,” Banner said. “We expect Amaya to be a full go at the start of camp. I don’t know what the specific timeline is, but he should be healthy.”

5. There are high hopes Caleb Kilian can get back on track

Kilian was the other part of the Bryant trade with the Giants and was considered the top pitching prospect in the system last season. The Cubs kept close tabs on Kilian, who pitched well in the minors but has struggled with his command at times. The issues continued even when Kilian was brought to Chicago and walked 12 over 11.1 innings in the big leagues.

But Kilian, who was likely a little dinged up at the end of the season, is good to go and is still a promising pitcher in the system. The hope is he can return to form as the pitcher he was in the 2022 AFL when he jumped on everyone’s radar.

“I just think the main focus with Caleb is just getting his delivery back to a place where it's been in the past where he’s commanding his pitches at an elite level and using his lower half well,” Banner said. “I expect that coming into camp, he’ll be in a great place.”