Dan Vogelbach
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As was the case in 2015, Vogelbach has come out of the gates raking to start the season, slashing .412/.487/.588 while walking in more than 10% of his plate appearances. The flipside of the coin is that the former second rounder is swinging through more pitches early on than he has in the past, with early speculation that Vogelbach is letting loose more frequently trying to tap into the big raw power that has previously failed to manifest with any regularity. The body remains an issue, with the most logical outcome still a trade to an American League club where Vogelbach can settle in as a capable designated hitter. In order for the Cubs to maximize his value through such a move, however, he’ll need to sell opposing scouts on his ability to reach his upside as an above-average power bat in addition to his overall impressive feel for hitting. If there’s one thing to watch with respect to Vogelbach’s development in 2016, it’s his in-game power. –Nick J. Faleris |