Once Undrafted, Is this Power Bat Destined for the Chicago Cubs Lineup?

From undrafted to Triple-A, the Chicago Cubs' Matt Mervis sits one step away from the Show.

© Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

If the Chicago Cubs minor league depth at first base wasn’t on your radar as an area of strength, you’re not alone. Up until the 2022 season, he wasn't on anyone's radar.

Signed just before the start of the 2020 season as an undrafted free agent out of Duke University, 24-year-old Matt Mervis has found his footing within the Cubs organization.

For a player that the team took a flyer on, it’s remarkable to consider that they might have found their next Major League power bat from the most unlikely of sources.

After beginning his first full season in the organization last year with Low-A Myrtle Beach, the Washington D.C. native finds himself soaring through the Cubs minor leagues system in 2022.

Beginning his 2022 campaign by with a 1.039 OPS and seven home runs in just 27 games in High-A, the former two-way collegiate player found himself a mid-May promotion to Double-A.

Just over two months later he continued that same streak with the Tennessee Smokies, mashing 14 home runs with a remarkable .301 batting average across 203 at-bats. Just a few months later Mervis found himself in Triple-A, just one level away from the Majors.

For a player that won't be found on the organization’s top 30 prospect list, the 6-foot-4 lefty has continued to post impressive numbers after his most recent promotion. In just 22 games with Iowa, Mervis has a .253/.323/,482 slashline in 76 at-bats.

As the prospect has begun to make some noise within organizational circles, Mervis' most recent stretch of games pairs nicely with his overall statistics on the season, especially in comparison to his lackluster first season in minor league baseball.

For a team like the Cubs that hopes to work a relatively short rebuild, it’s encouraging to see such performance, especially when it comes from the most unlikely of places.

As Mervis continues his rise through the Cubs minor league system, it will be interesting to see if his performance warrants a September call-up, or even more importantly, a starting spot next April in the Wrigley infield.

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