The Chicago Cubs still have some opening day roster spots to give out. There is one candidate standing out more than the rest in spring training.
Gage Workman was selected by the Cubs in the Major League portion of the Rule-5 draft back in December. That means Chicago has to put him on the 26-man roster. If they choose not to do so, they must put him through waivers and offer him back to his original team – the Detroit Tigers – for a reduced price.
Workman has not played higher than Double-A in the minor leagues. But 2024 was his best season. The 25-year-old slashed .280/.366/.476 with 18 home runs, 89 RBI and 85 runs scored. All of those stats are career highs for him.
The one flaw in Workman’s game is his strikeouts. The left-handed batter struck out 153 times in 126 games played last year. He is also not as good against lefty pitchers. The former fourth-round pick hit just .224 in same side matchups, but he was able to bat .290 against righties.
With his strikeouts and inability to hit against left-handed pitchers, Workman profiles more as a platoon player in the Big Leagues. Still, he has played well enough in spring training to earn a spot on the Major League roster.
This spring, the third baseman has played in nine games, recorded six hits in 19 at-bats, launched two home runs, drove in seven runs and has cut back on his strikeouts a little bit. He is showing power and discipline, and that is something the Cubs could use.
One big question mark for Chicago right now is who will start at the hot corner for them.
Top prospect Matt Shaw is a big possibility. He missed the beginning of the spring with an oblique injury, but he made his debut this past weekend. However, he could still miss the games in Tokyo, Japan on March 18 and 19. Additionally, Shaw is not on the 40-man roster, so the Cubs would have to waive someone if they want him to play in the big leagues this year.
This is where Workman comes into play.
The Rule-5 draft pick started his minor league career at shortstop, but he has since shifted over to third base. Last year was the first season that he played more games at the hot corner than shortstop. In his 74 games at third, Workman made five errors. There are some improvements for him to make defensively, but he is good enough to get the job done.
There is a chance Shaw could be healthy enough to make the opening day roster. However, Workman is not a bad choice to be the backup. Whether it is as the starting third baseman or a platoon bench guy, the Arizona State product has played well enough this spring to at least be given an opportunity.