Chicago Cubs Should Give Alexander Canario a Shot in September

Chicago Cubs prospect Alexander Canario has continued to tear up Double-A pitching, and with September call-ups around the corner, Canario deserves a run in the MLB.

Jamar Coach/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Just over a year ago, Alex Canario was a relatively unknown power-hitting outfielder struggling to find success at the plate in the San Francisco Giants organization. But the righty had tools, at least that was the thinking for the Chicago Cubs when they acquired him, along with starting pitcher Caleb Kilian in the 2021 Kris Bryant deal.

The Cubs were obviously banking on getting the best out of Canario's impressive power stroke, and perhaps getting more out of his hit tool. The results were not immediate for the righty, as he still managed just a wRC+ of 84 and an on-base percentage well below .300 with the High-A South Bend Cubs to finish the season.

A rough first impression paired with the breakout of Caleb Kilian in the Arizona Fall League made Canario somewhat of an afterthought, but he quickly reminded people of the player he has the potential to be once the 2022 season began. 

The 22-year-old started in South Bend, where he made quick work of the pitching, managing an OPS of .944 in just 24 games before he was promoted to Double-A Tennessee for the first time in his career. 

The Dominican Republic native has responded well, sporting a 121 wRC+ over his first 332 plate appearances, but that doesn't tell the whole story of how impressive Canario has been with the Smokies. 

The jump from High-A to Double-A is always a big one that many players initially struggle with, and Canario was no different, struggling in his first 20 games as he adjusted to life in Tennessee. As the outfielder got more and more settled, however, the results have been staggering.

Prior to Aug. 18, in the power-hitters previous 50 games, he walked in a very good 12.7% of his plate appearances, struck out just 22.5% of the time, had an on-base percentage of .368, a slugging percentage of over .600, and a 144 wRC+. 

This stretch, which equates to almost two-thirds of his time with the Smokies, is likely exactly what the Cubs were hoping to see in the outfielders' development. His contact and walk rates have gone up, and the quality of contact has not diminished either. 

As of Aug. 18, Canario had an ISO of .293 and a flyball rate of 42.3%, both key metrics that are important to harnessing the righty's immense power. Pair that all with his improving contact rates, and it's hard to argue that the former international free agent may not already be Major League ready.

But why call the outfielder up in September? There will certainly be other candidates such as Darius Hill, or perhaps even Jackson Frazier gets another run, but Canario may have a leg up for a few reasons.

For one, the Cubs have shown a willingness to have players skip Triple-A this season with Chris Morel and Brandon Hughes, both of whom have more than held their own. Another reason is that Canario already holds a 40-man roster spot, making it less complicated to call him up than some of the other candidates. 

Finally, and probably most importantly, the Cubs No. 9 prospect via MLB Pipeline simply seems ready for the opportunity. The outfielder simply has made a mockery of minor league pitching this season and doesn't have much else to prove. 

Plenty of players have made a successful Double-A-to-MLB jump around the league this year, and Canario has the makeup to be a part of that list. The Cubs would be wise to give him a trial run in September.

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