Ranking the 30 most important Cubs players for 2019

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With the Cubs about to kick off the 2019 season Thursday in Texas, let's run down the most important players on the roster.

We didn't see much movement on the roster over the winter, but we've already seen a couple surprises this spring — from Ian Happ being sent down to the minor leagues to the Cubs designating Brian Duensing for assignment.

Both are big deals for different reasons. 

Happ was seen as a sure thing to make the Opening Day roster, but he's experienced some of the same offensive struggles he had in the second half last year — namely contact. This move is the embodiment of Theo Epstein's "production over potential" decree from the day after the Cubs' 2018 season ended.

Duensing is owed $3.5 million this year, and the Cubs are willing to eat that salary in a year in which they're strapped for cash and have had to count every penny. That says a lot right there, and it's another sign this front office and coaching staff won't be all that patient. 

It's also telling in how far Duensing has fallen. He was a surprising contributor in the 2017 bullpen and it was universally praised when the Cubs brought him back for a 2-year contract worth $7 million before 2018. After he went 17 outings without allowing a run to begin the year (and held a 0.54 ERA as late into the season as May 28), he struggled mightily with a 13.29 ERA in his final 25 appearances and went on the disabled list for a stretch with a shoulder injury. He then posted a 10.29 ERA in 8 Cactus League appearances and the Cubs opted to DFA him, opening up a spot on the 40-man roster and underscoring the need for a left-handed reliever.

Can Randy Rosario be that left-hander to step up in the bullpen? And how important will Happ be in 2019 even if he is in the minors to start the season?

We don't know all those answers yet, but we do know it's going to take more than the 25 players on the Opening Day roster if the Cubs are going to make another World Series run. 

So here are the 30 most important players for the marathon ahead:

(Note: We did not include Addison Russell on this list because it is still not a guarantee he will ever suit up for the Cubs again after his suspension is up in late April/early May.)

1. Javy Baez, INF

Even if Russell returns, the Cubs still have essentially only Baez at shortstop for the first month. And even after Russell returns, Baez may still be the guy that sees most of the time at the most important defensive position on the field. If Russell doesn't ever don a Cubs uniform again, obviously Baez's importance to the franchise sees another tick up. But even beyond the defensive position, the Cubs absolutely need Baez to at least approach his numbers from a year ago offensively. If he regresses, that would be a tough blow to this team, even with a healthy Bryant back. Baez is also becoming the heart and soul of the team from a leadership standpoint as he's finding his voice and helps bring that edge and urgency each and every day.

2. Kris Bryant, 3B/OF

This is a perennial MVP candidate who is now fully healthy. Bryant is one of the most important players in baseball and his value to the Cubs lineup was felt strongly last year as he missed 60 games and looked like a shell of his offensive self even when he was on the field the last four months. Expect a monster bounceback season and his positional versatility helps the Cubs mix and match with their best defensive lineup each time out.

3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B

The face of the franchise has been a mainstay in the Cubs offense, the rock that has held down the offense while Baez was developing and then when Bryant was on the shelf last year. Rizzo is obviously a huge factor in the Cubs' success — from his left-handed power to his ability to work walks without striking out to his Gold Glove defense at first base.

4. Yu Darvish, RHP

You can almost classify Darvish as a free agent pickup for the Cubs in that he was essentially a non-factor last year, picking up just 1 win in 40 innings of subpar work. He has some of the best strikeout stuff of any starting pitcher in baseball and because of that, has the best chance of any Cubs pitcher to put together a Cy Young season. Apart from a minor blister issue, Darvish looks healthy and happy and poised for a big year and the Cubs absolutely need it in a loaded division.

5. Willson Contreras, C

By the time the book is closed on the 2019 MLB season, it's entirely possible Contreras will be the unanimous choice as the top catcher in baseball. He looked ticketed for that in 2017 before suffering a hamstring injury that August. Now he has plenty of questions to answer about his self-admitted complacency from last year on the offensive end as well as a need to improve his pitch-framing skills behind the plate. Given the lack of catching depth behind him, Contreras will be absolutely vital to the Cubs' success this season.

6. Kyle Hendricks, RHP

While the following two veteran lefties are obviously important to the Cubs, Hendricks is their present and future after inking a 4-year extension. He's the only starting pitcher under 30 and the Cubs are going to need to rely on him to once again approach 200 innings. A pair of 35-year-old starters may need to miss a start here or there and it's impossible to guarantee 30 starts for Darvish, so Hendricks will have to be the workhorse.

7. Jon Lester, LHP

Lester is still the Cubs' ace until somebody unseats him and that doesn't look to be happening anytime soon. He's not the same pitcher he once was (even by his own admission) and he's starting to show his age, but Lester is still adept at getting outs and there's not too many other people I'd want on the mound in a winner-take-all game.

8. Cole Hamels, LHP

The Cubs were strapped for cash this winter and yet they still picked up Hamels' $20 million option. That'll tell you all you need to know about how valuable they feel he is, both to lock down the rotation and provide veteran leadership within the clubhouse.

9. Kyle Schwarber, LF

He took some big strides last season in several areas — defensively (which the weight loss helped with), increasing his walk rate and reducing his strikeout rate. He looked like a different hitter than the one that needed more seasoning in the minor leagues in 2017, but he still has strides he needs to make — namely doing more damage with runners in scoring position. He still hasn't met the monster offensive ceiling he's capable of.

10. Carl Edwards Jr., RHP

Edwards possesses the best stuff of any Cubs reliever and has the ceiling to be one of the best late-inning arms in the entire NL. Will he ever reach that potential? Will he ever put an entire season together avoiding the drastic peaks and valleys that has plagued him in the past? The key to the Cubs' bullpen this season might lie in the answer to those questions.

11. Pedro Strop, RHP

He'll open the season as the most likely option to close games in Brandon Morrow's absence and he's been the most reliable reliever in the Cubs' pen since he came over in the summer of 2014. Strop is also one of the leaders in the clubhouse and serves as sort of a big brother for Baez. He needs to maintain his health after two hamstring injuries in the last 6-7 months.

12. Albert Almora Jr., CF

Almora was already ticketed for a bit role in 2019 and then Happ got sent down and it looks like the first pick of the Theo Epstein regime is now slated for even more playing time. Happ will be back at some point and both Bryant and Jason Heyward can play center field, but Almora is clearly the best option to man the most important outfield spot on the Opening Day roster. He still needs to shore up some of his offensive weaknesses — particularly against right-handed pitching — and he'll never walk a ton or hit a bunch of homers, but he can still be a very valuable player. That's especially true if Maddon opts to hit the pitcher 8th and Almora 9th often, as the young centerfielder could then serve as something of a second leadoff hitter. He'll also probably spend a lot of time in the actual leadoff spot against lefties and some righties.

13. Ben Zobrist, IF/OF

Last year only Baez was worth more WAR than Zobrist as the veteran enjoyed a fantastic bounceback season, hitting over .300 for the first time in his career. This is his final season of his four-year deal with the Cubs and has been asked to step up more as a leader in the clubhouse. On the field, he'll once again play all over and provide a perfect example of a professional at-bat to the young hitters in the lineup. He also should lead off quite a bit against right-handed pitchers, setting the table for Baez and Co.

14. Steve Cishek, RHP

Through mid-August, Cishek looked like not only the MVP of the bullpen, but the MVP of the entire pitching staff. He pitched nearly every other game (80 appearances) and certainly seemed to wear down late in the season, but even with that, his overall numbers (2.18 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 10 K/9, 4 saves, 25 holds) were fantastic. He figures to be one of the most reliable options out of the 'pen again this year.

15. Jose Quintana, LHP

The Cubs didn't necessarily envision acquiring a No. 5 starter when they dealt top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease across town two summers ago, but even with his rather-underwhelming performance, Quintana has still been a stabilizing factor in the North Side rotation. He dealt with some shoulder issues and lack of conviction (he too often nibbled and danced around the zone instead of getting ahead of hitters) last year, but in reality, he might be the best No. 5 starter in baseball and could be poised for a bounceback season.

16. Mike Montgomery, LHP

Only three pitchers (Lester, Hendricks, Quintana) accounted for more innings than Montgomery last year (124). He's extremely valuable as a swingman — a lefty in the bullpen and a potential starter if the rotation needs some assistance. 

17. Jason Heyward, RF

Heyward is an elite defender and a valued voice inside the clubhouse, but he just has not hit like he's capable of in his three years in a Cubs uniform. He took some steps in the right direction offensively last year, but he wasn't even a league average bat (92 OPS+). He'll still play a ton in both right and center, but at this point, the Cubs can't pencil him in for more than 450 at-bats (a number he's failed to reach each of the last two seasons).

18. Brandon Morrow, RHP

There's a strong case to be made that Morrow deserves to be significantly higher on this list. He's the Cubs' unquestioned best reliever when healthy, but he hasn't been healthy in nearly 9 months and will miss at least the first few weeks of the season. When he does return, how often will he be able to throw and how long will he be able to stay off the injured list? The Cubs sure look like they could desperately use another lockdown late-inning arm, so they'll be anxiously awaiting Morrow's return.

19. Ian Happ, IF/OF

He's in the minors now, but he'll be back in Chicago at some point and still figures to have a big impact on this year's team. His positional versatility, switch-hitting ability and power will prove valuable before the year is up.

20. Brad Brach, RHP

The Cubs needed some reinforcements for their bullpen this winter and Brach is essentially that guy all by himself, as the only signing that will make the Opening Day roster. He dealt with a bout of mono this winter and has some questions about his velocity that make this move a question mark at the moment. But Brach also has a fairly long history as a reliable high-leverage arm and the Cubs would certainly love to see that continue this year.

21. Daniel Descalso, IF/OF

Descalso was brought in this winter to serve as a utility man and professional hitter on the field and a leader off it. But he's battled a shoulder injury for the last part of spring and his impact within the locker room will take months to cultivate in any meaningful way. We don't yet know where he'll slot in the lineup or what positions he'll play, but the veteran has the potential to help the Cubs in a number of different areas as a valuable role player in 2019.

22. Victor Caratini, C

The Cubs continue to say they are searching for veteran catching help, but yet they've spent all winter and now all spring with Caratini firmly entrenched at No. 2 on the catching depth chart. He's a switch-hitter who can prove more capable with the stick than he showed a year ago and he's developed a nice rapport with Hamels and the pitching staff. But if anything happens to Contreras, Caratini shoots way up this list, as the Cubs have essentially no other options behind him.

23. David Bote, IF

The Cubs' most surprising contributor last year, Bote can play excellent defense everywhere on the infield and provide another right-handed bat. He has patience and power and will begin the year as Baez's backup at shortstop and quite likely playing third or second against left-handed pitchers. 

24. Tyler Chatwood, RHP

Chatwood will break camp with the Cubs as far and away their most expensive reliever and his 2019 season is a big mystery. It's entirely possible he finds success as a long guy in the bullpen or maybe even a late-inning guy. He still has very good stuff; it's the control that's the problem. Chatwood also represents depth in the rotation if injury befalls any of the Cubs starters. It would be huge for the team if he can contribute in any meaningful way, but the Cubs won 95 games last year while he went through a disastrous season, so he's not exactly imperative to their overall success.

25. Xavier Cedeno, LHP

Signed in the first week of spring training, Cedeno was slowed by a wrist injury. But when he's able to return, he is the most established left-handed reliever the Cubs have, with a 3.69 ERA over 249 MLB apperances. He had a 2.43 ERA with 1 save and 11 holds with the White Sox and Brewers last year.

26. Brandon Kintzler, RHP

The veteran has a long track record of success, but that hasn't come in a Cubs uniform to date. The 34-year-old had a $5 million player option he exercised this winter, which is a lofty price tag, but the Cubs already proved they're willing to eat substantial money to clear a spot in the bullpen if a veteran isn't performing.

27. Mark Zagunis, OF

A former third-round pick from 2014, Zagunis is getting his first shot at the Opening Day roster. He's already on the 40-man roster and has always been a valuable right-handed outfielder who profiles well as an on-base threat. But now the power has shown up too (4 homers this spring) and he'll take Happ's spot in Texas. Who knows how long he'll remain in The Show, but the Cubs figure to platoon Heyward and Schwarber against lefties at times, and that leaves a potential long-term opening for Zagunis, especially if Happ can't find his way back.

28. Randy Rosario, LHP

Rosario is a fan favorite after his debut season with the Cubs a year ago and won the final spot in the bullpen this spring. He has options remaining, so don't expect him to spend the entire year in the big leagues and will instead probably be a frequent rider on the Iowa Shuttle.

29. Kyle Ryan, LHP

The next man up if the Cubs need a lefty in the bullpen. He spent last year in Triple-A Iowa and the front office thought enough of him to hand him a big-league deal over the winter.

30. Allen Webster, RHP

Webster is out of options and can't be freely moved back and forth between Iowa and Chicago. So if he's called up to the big leagues, he could only go back down via waivers. That's not the type of flexibility the Cubs would want to help fill their rotating bullpen spot, but they clearly like Webster. He made it all the way to the end of camp and is a former top prospect...who also conicidentally has the team's last win (that last Saturday of the regular season).

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