Two Cubs among top NL rookie contenders
The Cubs can keep Kris Bryant from a year of service time by sending him to the minor leagues to start the season.
But that won't necessarily keep him from winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Bryant was the hottest Cubs topic in spring training and maybe the hottest topic in all of major-league baseball.
The Cubs' decision to start him at Class AAA Iowa this season drew fire from Bryant's agent, Scott Boras, and from the players association.
By not putting Bryant on the big-league roster for the April 5 season opener and delaying his debut until later this month, the Cubs will prevent the third baseman from hitting the open market until he has had almost seven full years of major-league service time.
But there could be plenty of time for Bryant to be rookie of the year in the National League this season.
There is Cubs precedent. In 1998, the Cubs held pitcher Kerry Wood in Iowa until mid-April, and Wood went on to beat out the Rockies' Todd Helton for rookie of the year.
Here is how the freshman class stacks up for 2015:
Kris Bryant:
Once Bryant is no longer able to accumulate enough days for a full season, he'll be up - and if he performs as he did in spring training, he'll be off and running toward top rookie honors.
In 14 Cactus League games, Bryant put up a batting line of .425/.477/1.175 with a major-league-leading 9 homers.
Between Iowa and Class AA Tennessee last year, the Cubs' top pick from 2013 went a combined .325/.438/.661 with 43 homers and 110 RBI.
The Cubs may get him some time in the outfield during what should be a short stay in Class AAA ball. No matter. With a bat like that, they'll find a place for him in the field.
Right now, he's the odds-on choice for rookie of the year.
Yasmany Tomas:
There had been talk Tomas might start the season in the minor leagues, too. But the 24-year-old native of Cuba has gotten through the week so far alive and kicking.
Much like Bryant, the talk about Tomas has been his learning curve at third base. The Arizona Diamondbacks rookie entered Wednesday with a line of .276/.333/.448 with 2 homers. It may end up that left field is his best position. Sound familiar?
Jorge Soler:
With all the Cubs talk about Bryant sent to minor-league camp and Javier Baez being demoted to Class AAA Iowa, people may have forgotten about Jorge Soler.
He's a physical specimen who just needs to stay healthy. Entering Wednesday, he had a spring line of .333/.386/.569 with 3 homers. It's possible Cubs players could go 1-2 in rookie of the year balloting, and that it might not be Bryant-Soler.
Honorable mention:
Not only does the Dodgers' Joc Pederson have a cool-sounding name, but it looks like he can play a little. He struck out 149 times last year at Class AAA Albuquerque, so that's a concern. The Cubs' embarrassment of riches also includes shortstop Addison Russell, who will open in the minors. He could be heard from sooner rather than later.