MESA, AZ - MARCH 6: Kyle Schwarber #74 of the Chicago Cubs bats during the game against the Cincinnati Reds on March 6, 2015 at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. The Reds defeated the Cubs 5-2. (Photo by Rich Pilling/Getty Images)
The Cubs have a two-time All-Star in first baseman Anthony Rizzo, a rising star in Kris Bryant, whose jersey is selling as if he's Ernie Banks and now here comes the latest sensation, catcher Kyle Schwarber.
Since being called up from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, he's become a Chicago folk hero, pounding the game-tying, then game-winning homers in Cincinnati and playing with a genuine enthusiasm of a little-leaguer. After all, was drafted in 2014, No. 4 overall by the Cubs.
His bat has been so electric, and so needed, that Cubs manager Joe Maddon is planning to use Schwarber in the outfield at some point, CSN Chicago reported, just to keep his bat in the lineup.
His hot start has to jumpstart the Cubs' front-office thinking to 2016. Will Schwarber be the Opening Day starter behind the plate? Could he open the possibility of trading Miguel Montero, who has two years and $28 million left on his deal?
"He's definitely going to answer a lot of those questions now for next season," Maddon told CSNChicago. "It definitely permits you then to plan. How do you plan? How do you acquire? How do you do -- whatever -- going into the next year? He's off to a great start."
It's certainly getting harder to ever envision him playing in Iowa again. In 44 at-bats in the bigs this season, Schwarber is batting .409 with three home runs and 11 RBI. He's produced an off-the-charts 1.151 OPS.
(h/t CSNChicago)
Photo Credit: Rich Pilling/Getty Images
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.