The Cubs are trying to find a spot for slugger Kris Bryant. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Chicago Cubs slugging prospect Kris Bryant is making a strong case to break spring training camp with the major-league club.
Team president Theo Epstein isn’t so sure he agrees with Bryant, who led the minor leagues with 43 home runs last season and has hit a spring-training-leading nine homers.
Bryant, who is hitting .406 with 15 RBIs this spring, thinks he is ready for Opening Day as a rookie.
“I look at it as ‘Why not me?'” Bryant said Friday after learning Epstein has never placed a rookie on his Opening Day roster as general manager and president with the Boston Red Sox and now the Cubs. “I think I’m the type of guy that can go out there and do it. I’ve made it a point of mine to come out here and show them that I can.
“The whole spring has been a crazy story, so there are things that go into it that I can’t control. I haven’t been thinking about it lately. I’ve just been performing on the field and I think I’ve been doing a good job of that.”
Epstein, appearing Thursday on ESPN, said Bryant might need more time in the minors before making his major-league debut. Epstein said he prefers young players to make their debuts in-season.
“I’ve never put a guy on an Opening Day roster who hadn’t played in the big leagues previously. In 13 years, I’ve never done it,” Epstein said. “I’m not saying I’d never do it, but the general rule, the presumption, is to allow those guys to go out, play, get comfortable, get in rhythm, and come up when you hand-pick just the right moment for them to have success.”
Bryant is a natural third baseman, but he played left field for the first time this spring on Thursday.
The Las Vegas native was named Minor League Player of the Year in 2014 in his first professional season. Bryant was the No. 2 overall pick out of the University of San Diego in the 2013 amateur draft.
If Bryant breaks camp with the Cubs, he can become a free agent after the 2020 season. The Cubs can push that back to 2021 if Bryant stays in the minors until at least mid-April this season.
“I know you think it’s about the business side of the game,” Epstein said. “We haven’t even gotten there because we’re focusing on the baseball part of the game and his development. We’ll see what path he follows.”
