Cubs MiLB News: Bryant, Russell Highlight Non-Roster Invitees

The future begins in just a few short weeks for the Chicago Cubs. MiLB.com reports that the big league club has extended invites to spring training to their last three first round draft picks. Addison Russell, acquired in the Jeff Samardzija trade, represents the fourth first round draft pick amongst the non-roster invitees for the Cubs.

Leading the way is all world third baseman and the 2013 second overall pick in the draft, Kris Bryant. If you don’t know who Kris Bryant is by now, you must be living under a rock. Bryant is the top prospect in a Cubs system and Keith Law’s top prospect overall prospect in baseball.

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Bryant is the reigning Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year after crushing 43 home runs to lead all of professional baseball, big leagues included. He only has 244 at bats above Double-A in his young career, so he is a question mark for the start of 2015. The Cubs are clearly ready for the Bryant Era to begin as they shipped Luis Valbuena, last year’s third baseman, off to the Astros. With only journeyman back-up Mike Olt ahead of him, it looks like Bryant will be in Chicago before the year is done. He will likely need a monster spring to capture the starting job out of the gate, but his future as a big leaguer is not far away.

Addison Russell will be making his Cubs’ Spring Training debut in a few weeks as well. The centerpiece of the Samardzija trade at the deadline, Russell finds himself in a curious spot. The No. 5 prospect in baseball, and the No. 2 in the Cubs system, has one of the best young shortstops in the game ahead of him. He, too, will need a solid spring to start the season in Chicago, but it will most likely take a trade of Starlin Castro (or more off field issues) to clear room for Russell in 2015.

Don’t be mistaken, the 21-year old, even if he has to wait until 2016 for a full time gig, is a star in the making. He was the 2013 Rookie of the Year in the High-A California League. His 2014 was, like Russell, all over the place. He started the season at High-A and jumped to Double-A for the As before being traded to the Cubs and playing for Tennessee in Double-A. Still, he slashed an admirable .295/.350/.508 with 13 home runs across three different teams.

Rounding out the quad of first round draft picks are catcher Kyle Schwarber and outfielder Albert Almora. Almora was the Cubs’ 2012 first round draft pick and with the recent addition of Dexter Fowler in center field, Almora’s primary position, he has a tough road ahead of him especially after 23-year old Arismendy Alcantara, whose versatility between centerfield and second base is invaluable, made his big league debut last season.

Schwarber was drafted just last season and after a monster rookie season in which he won a Player of the Week Award at three different levels of Class-A ball, he is clearly on the fast track to Chicago. How fast will depend on this season. If he can match last years numbers (.344/.428/.634 with 18 home runs in just 72 games) newly acquired 32-year old Miguel Montero may be looking for a new home come 2016. Schwarber is a Top 50 prospect in baseball and is sure to climb even higher before 2015 is done.

There is no denying that the Cubs are on the brink of something special. While these four first round draft picks may leave spring training as minor leaguers, they all remain Top 100 prospects, and the sky is the limit. Cubs fans have been patient for quite a few years and it seems as if it will all pay off much sooner than later.

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