Prepare your body. Again.
cubs now calling up addison russell to the majors. http://t.co/HJ0kD3hzIZ
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) April 21, 2015
It’s possible that the more casual Cubs fan isn’t as excited with a Russell call-up as they were with the Bryant one. Bryant was a Cubs draft pick, taken near the top of the first round. He also figures to hit 25-30 HR on a routine basis in the majors. That’s very exciting!
Russell might be an even better prospect. What he lacks in prodigious power, he makes up for in positional prowess. Russell is an average-to-good MLB shortstop right now. At 2B, he will be an elite defensive force. It isn’t like he’ll be a slouch at the plate, either. He hasn’t walked very much in the Cubs organization, but he has traditionally been a patient hitter. In any case, Russell isn’t a threat to strike himself out of the league. Russell has a major-league floor, which is not a common thing. It’s hard to imagine Russell doing any worse than .240/.290/.350 with elite defense at the keystone, which is basically a 2.0 WAR.
He might not do that right away. Russell is not a prospect that people are going to treat like Kris Bryant. Russell has the power to hit 20 HR at his peak, but pitchers are going to attack him right away because the power isn’t all the way there yet. I wouldn’t at all be worried or shocked if he struggles to influence the game with his bat this year. Russell is now the youngest player in the National League.
I think he’ll bat 7th or 9th, which is just fine. Let him struggle a bit, and let him not get quite so much attention.
It’s a good day to be a Cubs fan.