Iowa Cubs 2023 season: When will Pete Crow-Armstrong get to Des Moines?
When the Chicago Cubs went through their rebuild in 2021 and traded away some of the team’s stars, they were able to replenish what had become a weakened minor-league system. Those trades brought in some marquee young prospects who were just starting to make their way through the minor leagues.
The Iowa Cubs may reap the benefits of those deals this year.
Chicago's Triple-A affiliate likely will be the home to many of the organization’s top prospects this season. Some of them are on their way. But a few are already in Des Moines as the Cubs open the 2023 season on Friday against the Columbus Clippers at Principal Park at 7:08 p.m.
“The road to Wrigley runs through Des Moines, and we have a lot of exciting young players who we think will be a part of our future and a part of the next great Cubs team,” said Jared Banner, Chicago’s vice president of player development. “We do expect a lot of them to play for the Iowa Cubs at some point, whether right now or in the relatively near future. So if you’re fan of the Iowa Cubs, you’re going to see some good baseball.”
Two of those big prospects, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brennen Davis, are among the biggest subplots headed into the season. When will Crow-Armstrong get here? What’s next for Davis? Here’s a look at five storylines to keep an eye on this season.
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Can Brennen Davis return to pre-injury form?
Outfielder Brennen Davis was the top-ranked prospect in the Cubs’ organization after a breakout season in 2021. Davis homered twice in the All-Star Futures Game and was named the game’s MVP. He also belted home runs in his first two Triple-A at-bats that season. He was named the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year and appeared to be on the verge of his first big-league promotion.
But Davis dealt with a back injury that required surgery and missed most of last season. He struggled when he did play but is now healthy and ready to get back on track. The 2023 season is an important one for Davis, who remains one of the top prospects in baseball but has yet to stay on the field consistently and dominate at the Triple-A level. He’ll get his chance this year.
How will Matt Mervis follow up on his breakthrough season?
First baseman Matt Mervis was one of the surprise stories in all of baseball in 2022. The left-handed hitter, who went unselected during the shortened 2020 draft, slashed .309/.379/.605 with 40 doubles and 36 homers and 119 runs driven in across three different levels. The success earned Mervis lots of attention and accolades, including being named the Cubs’ Minor League Player of the Year.
But with success comes great expectations. The Cubs signed a number of first basemen in the off-season, so Mervis will have time to develop and prove that 2022 was not an outlier. But if the hard-hitting Mervis continues to rake, Chicago may decide their best option is in Des Moines.
When will Pete Crow-Armstrong get to Des Moines?
Excitement has been building for Pete Crow-Armstrong since last season. The 21-year-old is coming off his best year as a pro when he won a Minor League Baseball gold glove and slashed .312/.376/.520 with 20 doubles and 16 home runs across two different levels. Crow-Armstrong, a first-round pick by the New York Mets, was acquired by the Cubs in the Javier Baez deal and turned into one of the organization’s top prospects.
He’ll likely start the season in Double-A. And since Crow-Armstrong has no experience at that level, he’ll probably get plenty of time to prove that he’s capable of handling the pitching. But Crow-Armstrong saw a lot of time in big-league camp this spring, so it’s apparent the Cubs wanted to get a good look at him. He could very well follow the timeline of many of Chicago’s big prospects, such as Kris Bryant, who started the year in Double-A, destroyed pitchers at that level, and then was brought up to Triple-A in June.
Will the Iowa Cubs challenge for a league title?
This summer marks the 30th anniversary of Iowa’s last championship season. There are reasons to believe the drought may end. Iowa will boast a powerful outfield that includes organization hits leader Darius Hill, prized prospect Davis and youngster Nelson Velazquez. The infield will include Mervis, Christopher Morel (who already has substantial big-league experience and can play around the field) and Jared Young. The pitching could be deep, with Caleb Kilian back and other prospects Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, D.J. Herz not far behind.
And of course fans will see rehabbing Chicago players from time to time. Outfielder Seiya Suzuki (oblique) may get some time in Iowa if the Cubs are OK sending him to a cold-weather location. So could Kyle Hendricks, who is working his way back from a shoulder injury.
The Iowa Cubs outfield is stacked
Iowa's most talented position group is the outfield. Hill is coming off a huge season, Davis is one of the organization's top prospects, and there are still high hopes for Velazquez. Not to mention that Crow-Armstrong may be here before long. Morel will likely get playing time out there and Alexander Canario, who suffered major injuries during winter ball, is hoping to get back to Triple-A at some point this season.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Cubs 2023: When will Pete Crow-Armstrong get to Des Moines?
