Cubs, Marlins Swap Matt Mervis, Vidal Brujan

1:28 pm: The deal is now official, in accordance with a membership announcement by the Marlins.

12:27 PM: The Marlins are set to amass a primary baseman Matt Mervis Of the Cubs, in accordance with a report issued by Aram Layton of Just Baseball. ESPN’s Jeff Passan Stories that participant Vidal Brogan He heads to Chicago in trade for Mervis’ companies. It was Brogan assigned to the task By Marlins final week. Maddy Lee of the Sun-Times It additionally suggests the Cubs are sending cash to Miami together with Mervis.

Mervis, 26, signed with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent again in 2020. After struggling in his first style of the professionals in 2021, the slugger tore up the minor leagues in 2022, slashing a superb .309/.379. /.606 with 40 doubles and 36 homers in 137 video games throughout three ranges of the minors. That included an extended string of success on the Triple-A stage, the place he hit .297/.383/.593 with 15 doubles and 15 homers in simply 57 video games. The efficiency was sturdy sufficient to earn Mervis some buzz amongst top-100 prospects throughout the 2022-23 season, and his speedy rise by the minors has offered some optimism for a Cubs franchise that lately dealt a longtime first baseman. Anthony Rizzo To the Yankees earlier than the 2021 commerce deadline.

Sadly, Mervis wasn’t capable of profit from his alternative when he first reached the foremost leagues in 2023. Whereas he continued to hit at Triple-A (.282/.399/.533 in 100 video games), he struggled mightily in 99 Huge league sport with a lackluster .167/.242/.289 slash line was good for a 48 wRC+ that yr. The stable batted ball information and .317 xwOBA counsel that Mervis might have been a bit unfortunate in his first cup of espresso within the majors, however his whopping 32.3% batting common would have been an enormous purple flag even when he had had higher luck in batted ball phrases discovering… Holes. That led to the Cubs turning away from Mervis final winter, buying and selling for the prospect to the Dodgers Michael Bush And putting in him because the membership’s on a regular basis first baseman.

Bush broke out as an above-average hitter proper out of the gate with Chicago, posting a 119 wRC+ and a couple of.3 fWAR in his rookie season. In contrast, Mervis appeared in simply 9 video games and posted a horrific -4 wRC+ on this restricted taking part in time. Even his minor league numbers took a step again this yr, as he hit simply .235/.329/.434 (97 wRC+) in 81 video games at Triple-A final season. All of this has made Mervis fairly expendable for Chicago, so the membership selecting to commerce him would not come as a shock. With the Marlins rebuilding, the Triple-A membership will get a much bigger shot within the league than he acquired in Chicago. He’ll compete to play at first base with the present first baseman Jonah the bridewho impressed with a 123 wRC+ in 71 video games for the Marlins final yr however has but to finish a wire-to-wire season within the majors at 29 years outdated.

Whereas Mervis is hardly a surefire big-league piece, the Marlins are giving up little or no to get him. Brogan, 27, was awarded a DFA by the Marlins final week to make room on the 40-man roster after struggling to supply as a big-league starter in 2024. As soon as a top-100 prospect with For the Rays, Brogan failed to attain in any respect in 99 video games with Tampa over three seasons earlier than being traded to Miami final winter. The Marlins made him a fixture of their bench combine this yr, however he hit simply .222/.303/.319 (73 wRC+) in 278 journeys to the plate. Regardless of this lackluster efficiency on the plate, Brujan offered some modest worth as a good starter and really versatile infielder. The switch-hitter principally break up his time between shortstop, second base and third base for Miami final yr, however can also be able to taking part in all three positions within the outfield, and even made a quick look at first base and on the pitchers’ mound final yr.

That needs to be sufficient to offer Brujan the chance to compete for a bench job with the Cubs this spring. Chicago fully overhauled its bench combine this offseason, parting methods with it Christian Bethancourt, Mike Tushman, Nick Madrigaland Patrick Wisdom final month to make room for various choices. Carson Kelly He joined the membership’s roster to type alongside Miguel Amaya He’ll fill one spot on the bench and an outfielder Alexander Canario He at present appears to be like set to function a reserve participant for the membership Ian Happ, Crowe Armstrong House, Sia Suzukiand Kyle Tucker. That leaves two spots up for grabs, and Brujan at present seems poised to compete for a Rule 5 draft decide gage factor And inner choices Miles Mastroponi and Luis Vasquez As for these two spots, although, one other outdoors addition might actually seize not less than one of many bench roles, and solely the catching tandem seems to be absolutely secured for 2025.