Christopher Morel has been informed that he will begin the year with the Chicago Cubs Triple-A outfit.
Morel, 23, played great down the stretch in Spring Training, including a 3-for-4 game with two doubles on Saturday.
However, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer noted during Monday's broadcast that they wanted the young utility man to get regular at-bats.
“He’s got to get at-bats, he’s got to play,” Hoyer told reporters. “Having him on the bench and playing once a series or getting three at-bats a series doesn’t make any sense for his development.
"You use everyone during the course of the season. He’s going to help us a ton, but making sure he gets off to a good start, is playing a lot, playing well, that’s the most important thing. And then when we have a need where he’s going to play a lot, then we can certainly bring him up.”
Given that Morel's role with the Big League roster remained unclear and he struck out in over 32 percent of his at-bats last season, getting regular playing time in Iowa is the right approach.
In his place, Hoyer confirmed that Miles Mastrobuoni will be on the Opening Day roster, serving in a utility role. The Cubs acquired the 27-year-old from the Tampa Bay Rays in mid-November for a minor league pitcher.
Mastrobuoni hit .300 with Tampa's Triple-A outfit in 2022, slugging 16 home runs and 64 RBI in 129 games. He showcased well in limited playing time this spring, hitting .350 with three RBI in a 10-game sample size.
He's spent the majority of his time in the minors at second base but has a wealth of experience at shortstop and at both corner outfield positions. Mastrobuoni's versatility will be valuable when the Cubs look to give players a day of rest.
More must-reads: