The Cubs and veteran infielder Nicky Lopez agreed to a minor league contract over the weekend, as first indicated on the MiLB.com transaction log. Lopez opted out of a minor league cope with the Yankees final week and shortly returned for what’s now a 3rd stint with the Cubs group this season alone. Lopez was already again within the lineup with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate yesterday.
Lopez signed a minor league cope with Chicago again in February. He didn’t make the large league roster in camp and took an opt-out in his deal, after which he signed a significant league pact with the Angels. That proved to be a short-lived stint, with Lopez lasting solely 5 video games earlier than being reduce free. After clearing waivers, Lopez signed a significant league cope with the Cubs and appeared in 14 video games off the bench earlier than being designated for project once more. He’s since signed minor league offers with the D-backs and Yankees however opted out of each.
It’s been a dizzying season, transaction-wise, for the versatile Lopez. He’s signed contracts with 4 completely different organizations however tallied solely 19 video games and 28 plate appearances within the majors. Lopez has gone simply 1-for-24 with 4 walks (and solely three strikeouts) in that tiny pattern of sparse taking part in time. His Triple-A piece between the Cubs, D-backs and Yankees has (in fact) been higher than that — however nonetheless not nice. In 42 video games, he’s taken 178 turns on the plate and batted .259/.309/.315.
Lopez has hardly ever supplied a lot assist with the bat, nevertheless. He’s the consummate glove-first utility infielder. Whereas he did put up an out-of-the-blue .300/.365/.378 efficiency in 565 plate appearances with the 2021 Royals, Lopez has limped to a .229/.300/.283 large league batting line in elements of 4 subsequent seasons and carries a modest .245/.310/.311 line in 2374 plate appearances as a significant leaguer.
Although he’s missing on the plate, Lopez is a roughly common runner with a plus glove throughout the infield. He’s spent greater than 2300 innings at each center infield positions and drawn high-end grades from Statcast at every place. Defensive Runs Saved isn’t as eager on his work at shortstop however grades him as an elite second baseman. Lopez hasn’t spent as a lot time on the sizzling nook (433 innings), however each Statcast’s Outs Above Common (9) and DRS (6) really feel he’s been excellent there.
The Cubs’ wants within the infield don’t look as urgent after Willi Castro was added on the deadline and now that high prospect Matt Shaw has caught fireplace (.328/.349/.770, seven homers in 63 plate appearances post-All-Star break). However Lopez presents some versatility and depth at a number of positions, and he might be an possibility to affix the membership when rosters develop to twenty-eight in September, offering skipper Craig Counsell with some late-game choices by way of each pinch-running and defensive shuffling.
