PT TOMORROW: NL Central—2B job up for grabs in Chicago

Chicago Cubs

One of the more intriguing battles to watch this spring will be the one for the second base job on the North Side. Each of Javier Báez (2B, CHC), Arismendy Alcántara (2B, CHC), and Tommy La Stella (2B, CHC) can make a convincing case for the job, while all of them also have obvious flaws in their game.

Baez entered the 2014 season as a consensus top 10 prospect in all of baseball. There were holes in his swing and questions surrounding his defense, but his power rivaled that of any other prospect. Fast forward one year, and the concerns regarding his strikeouts have exacerbated. Baez had a career worst 66 percent contact rate in Triple-A, and it dropped to 55 percent in his 213 at-bat big league trial.

The contact woes...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From PT Tomorrow

Following up on our spring training questions, including what happens to the rest of the lineup if Kevin McGonigle makes it onto the Tigers' roster?
Mar 26 2026 3:08am
Before spring training began, we asked about each team's playing time. Here are the answers for the AL West as spring training comes to an end.
Mar 25 2026 3:05am
Coby Mayo's spring surge has him well-positioned to be the beneficiary of Baltimore's infield injuries. Plus, more spring training topics revisited as Opening Day nears.
Mar 24 2026 3:06am
No need for a Magic 8 Ball—we've got your answers right here. SP in ATL; RF in MIA & PHI; SS at NYM; 1B in WAS; more.
Mar 23 2026 7:38am
This week's NL West column takes a close look at 2 prospects from each team who will likely play in the majors this year.
Mar 21 2026 3:06am

Tools