Could Vitters, Jackson be next for Cubs?

Both Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson celebrate birthdays this month.

Jackson turned 24 on Thursday. Vitters turns 23 on Aug. 27.

Will there be birthday presents in the form of major-league call-ups for the two Cubs farmhands? That's something the Cubs no doubt have started talking about in the wake of this week's flurry of trades.

“It's part of the dialogue,” said Cubs president Theo Epstein. “In Vitters' case, he's really coming on with the bat. We continue to emphasize a couple points with his development: defense. Make sure that he continues to improve defensively in order to stay at third base.

“He's working hard at it and making strides. He's doing a great job with the bat. We'd like to continue to see him get on base as much as possible. When we see him turning that corner, he'll start walking a little bit more as well.

“With Jackson, everyone talks about his strikeouts. Contact is something we're going to continue to address with him, put the ball in play a little bit more often.

“But it's hard not to overlook the things he is doing well: playing good defense, running the bases well. When he does make contact, he's hitting the ball hard, hitting for extra bases.

“We'll see. If it's the right thing developmentally for those guys, we'll make a move.”

Vitters and Jackson both are former first-round draft picks: Vitters in 2007 out of high school and Jackson in 2009 out of Cal Berkeley.

Each has had a different career path.

Vitters was taken as a 17-year-old, and it took him awhile to adapt to pro ball, as it does with many high school draftees.

He's come on nicely this year at Class AAA Iowa. Entering Friday, Vitters had a hitting line of .300/.354/.504 with 16 home runs, 65 RBI, 30 walks and 76 strikeouts in 407 at-bats.

Vitters is nearing the 500 Triple-A at-bats Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer referenced as being the tipping point to call up first baseman Anthony Rizzo in late June.

Other than that, the only other issue with Vitters, it seems, is the error total of 22. That may be giving the Cubs pause on two fronts: calling him up soon and determining whether he is a third baseman in the future or if he belongs in another spot.

The big-league team has gotten no offensive production from third base all year.

Ian Stewart batted .201 with 5 homers before having wrist surgery. Luis Valbuena has filled in ably in the field, but he had an anemic hitting line of .197/.259/.331 entering Friday night's game at Los Angeles.

Vitters told the Des Moines Register this week that he's handling the call-up speculation fine.

“There's really nothing to handle,” he told the paper. “It's about coming out here and continuing what we've been doing.

“I mean, there are definitely some good things that we've been doing for that to even be said in the first place. When that day comes, I think it will be a really exciting thing.

“But for now we've got to be happy with being in Iowa every day.”

Jackson was at .258/.339/.485 with 15 homers, 46 RBI, 46 walks and 154 strikeouts in 400 at-bats. The strikeout total is what jumps out.

“His only downfall … the strikeouts are a problem,” said Cubs manager Dale Sveum. “But on the other hand, sometimes players get to the big leagues and they hit better. You can't even explain it.

“Hanley Ramirez, I remember when we had him in Boston, he never put up any minor-league numbers. The next year, he wins Rookie of the Year. Some guys struggle with the third deck on the stadium, and some guys perform a lot better.”

The Cubs' outfield is crowded right now, with Alfonso Soriano in left, David DeJesus in center and Bryan LaHair in right. However, LaHair has struggled at the plate much of the second half.

Whatever the case, Sveum said he foresees Vitters and Jackson playing every day when and if they do come up.

“Whenever you bring guys like that to the big leagues, it's got to be to play every day,” Sveum said. “You don't bring them here to mix and match and try to put them in against weaker starting pitchers or anything like that.

“You bring them here. It's the big leagues. They're going to have to play every day.”

bmiles@dailyherald.com