The 24-year-old prospect is having a solid season, it's now on the Cubs to provide him with a chance to shake things up.
After an ugly showing in their series at home, the Chicago Cubs will be promoting infield prospect Luis Vazquez from Triple-A Iowa. As Nico Hoerner continues to miss time due to injury, Vazquez figures to have a role in the everyday lineup.
With the likes of Nick Madrigal and Miles Mastrobuoni struggling, the Cubs clearly need a new option. Vazquez is a middle infielder who has also spent some time at third base in the past. A tool that the Cubs will certainly value as a result of his promotion.
It is unclear what the corresponding move will be at this time.
Why the Cubs have not made this move sooner being without Nico Hoerner for an extended period of time can certainly be questioned. Regardless, the offense is currently slumping in a major way, and a shakeup certainly feels necessary at this time.
Even Saturday's walk-off win was only by a 1-0 margin. That run didn't even come until the extra innings. For the team to have any hope of making the playoffs, changes needed to and still need to be made. With Vazquez coming, it signals that the Cubs front office may finally realize this harsh reality.
Vazquez's .360 OBP should slot in nicely in the Cubs lineup should the 24-year-old prospect be able to carve out a consistent presence with the big league club. The Cubs need to address this lackluster offense and do so quickly. With such a dominant pitching staff, it has been unfortunate to see their efforts wasted on such a regular basis.
The Cubs' decision to call up Jared Vazquez raises questions about how he will be utilized in Craig Counsell's lineup. If Vazquez is relegated to a bench role, it could be a missed opportunity for the Cubs to showcase and develop their young talent.
To make the most of Vazquez's promotion, the Cubs should consider demoting either Madrigal or Mastrobuoni as a corresponding move. Without such a decision, it seems unlikely that Vazquez will receive regular playing time. The Cubs must avoid repeating the situation they faced with Alexander Canario, where a promising prospect was left underutilized. Embracing and nurturing their younger talent should be a priority for the team's future success.
