When the Chicago Cubs signed shortstop Dansby Swanson to a seven-year, $177 million contract in December, it appeared second baseman Nick Madrigal's days with the club were numbered.
After excelling in his first full season at shortstop and finishing second among National League shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved, Nico Hoerner will be moving to second base. With the Cubs signing a shortstop, Hoerner will return to the other side of second base, where he played primarily in the big leagues until the club traded Javier Baez to the New York Mets before the 2021 trade deadline.
With Hoerner taking Madrigal's position, it seemed unclear where Madrigal would fit into the team's plans for 2023 and beyond.
Madrigal reported early to spring training and has been taking reps at third base.
Since the Cubs traded Kris Bryant, Patrick Wisdom has seen the most time at third base. Wisdom hit 25 home runs and collected 66 RBI, slashing .207/.298/.725 in 2022.
"I'm not looking at anything personally," Madrigal told Cubs beat reporter Jordan Bastian. "Where I want to play, where I'm going to be... I'm looking forward to just whatever they throw at me. I feel like I can help this team a lot of ways."
Madrigal will get a shot to crack the Cubs' Opening Day starting lineup at a new position.
Madrigal, listed at 5-foot-8, would unquestionably be the league's shortest starting third baseman, if he were to man the position consistently. Traditionally, teams have preferred to have a tall guy, like Kris Bryant (6-foot-5), at the hot corner. Traditionally, third base has been a position for power bats, which Madrigal is not.
Though he doesn't fit the traditional mold, Madrigal could still develop into a quality third baseman. He was the no. 4 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, and MLB Pipeline's no. 40 overall prospect in baseball just two years ago. At 25, he is under club control for the next four seasons.
Madrigal is coming off a forgettable, injury-riddled 2022 where he slashed just .249/.305/.588 with zero home runs and seven RBI in 59 games.
However, after coming back from the Injured List in early August, Madrigal put together a very impressive four-week stretch in which he slashed .317/.385/.738.
At a new position, with a new opportunity, Madrigal just might be poised for a breakout season in 2023.
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