When White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal first arrived to spring training back in February, he started tinkering with different bat weights. I took a lot of heat on Twitter for throwing this idea out there, as people are VERY protective of Moncada and dont want to do anything to disturb the roll he is on both offensively and defensively. July 31, 2020 Madrigal spent the offseason in Arizona, strengthening himself and preparing to stay healthy through the course of the 2023 season. He keeps his right arm straight and firm, to keep the ball on a line and follows the ball after the throw to make sure it's on target. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Joseph Staszewski. $319.99 . In todays 2023 stock watch, were beginning a position by position preview for the 2023 draft class, starting with the position furthest up the defensive spectrum: catcher. Madrigal, eager to return to the field and compete for his new team, was back in the spring, battling for a roster spot and to become the teams starter at second base. "Buckets of ground balls," Madrigal said. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Play tons of free online games from Nickelodeon, including Spongebob games, puzzle games, sports games, racing games, & more on Nickelodeon Arabia! Moncada is a professional baseball player, though. "I feel like I'm seeing [the ball] better," he said after the 3-1 Cubs loss. And especially some of the shortstops that are more towards the top of the list right now--and they don't even compare to Nick. Miles Mastrobuoni can move all around, and has minor league options remaining. IMO. Second Baseman, Shortstop and Centerfielder, Born: Many thanks to him. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. As they say, a moving bat is a dangerous bat. Bat vs Pitch; Switch Player Nick Madrigal #1. You never know how much depth you will need, you cannot rule out Madrigal becoming a quality big league bat (in his own unique way), and you cannot ignore that Madrigal is a guy who still has minor league options remaining and hasnt actually spent THAT much time in the big leagues or at Triple-A. Maybe a relief arm? He pivots his body and pushes off with his right foot, to put more strength behind the underhand toss. His natural position is third base. Mendick brings more thump and better defense, while Garca brings more speed. Moreover, even though he comes with the pedigree and unique upside that made him Once I came back with the team I didnt have any hesitation at all. For a team emphasizing defense and run prevention, how might that fit for a player who grades as an above-average defensive second baseman with a below-average arm (he was in the bottom 14th percentile in arm strength, per Baseball Savant in 2022)? Eckstein is a bit more sure of where Madrigal could play, and after winning the 2006 World Series MVP award with the St. Louis Cardinals at 5-6, Eckstein is just the man who would know best. One evaluator said that work has paid off. Madrigal struggled in so many ways, from contact quality to whiffs to health, and it was only very late in the year that he started to maybe look like himself. Those are good problems, Hoyer said. 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I know its gonna be part of my future game, its something Im not going to re-create myself. Its just going to come naturally. That said can he even remotely handle third base? I think he was behind, Hoyer said. In 28 games across August and September (before landing on the injured list to end the season), Madrigal hit .277 with a .348 on-base percentage, which are more in-line with his career numbers (.289/.336). It kind of just came, but a lot of it came from working on it a lot.". Do you have a blog? They knew that the Elk Grove (Calif.) High product was one of the top middle infielders among the field of 108 high school invitees competing to make USA Baseballs 18-and-under National Team. He could eventually become a 2B/3B option, but not likely this season. But maybe its an indication that Madrigal trade chatter in general picked up quickly in the wake of the Swanson deal? Miles Mastrobuoni #78. $21.00 + $5.40 shipping . The cratering offensive landscape in the MLB has had less of an effect on Madrigal because, A. Cubs' Madrigal: 'Matter of time' before bat back on track. Not only is he a left-handed bat to help bring balance to the Sox lineup vs. right-handed pitching, but he also has shown the most promise both this year and throughout his career. Legendary Aussie singer-songwriter Nick Cave has unleashed on a song created using artificial intelligence that is supposed to be in the style of Nick Cave, describing it as bulls**t. The safest option would be to stick with the status quo and simply let Leury Garca and Danny Mendick battle it out for playing time. Many were scratching their heads when the White Sox picked him up off the scrap heap a few days prior to Opening Day. $399.99 You have to think this: Nick Madrigal might be available, and the Blue Jays kinda are on the record that they have more catchers than they can play. For the most part, I think people understood the plan by the time Dansby Swanson agreed to a deal this weekend: Hoerner moves back to second base, where he has previously shown elite defensive ability. Madrigals hands are quicker, his footwork is more advanced and his throws are more accurate. Madrigal is a native of Elk Grove, California. Hernndez, on the other hand, has a .793 OPS on the back of a .333 batting average at Charlotte. Power (35): While there's no question that Madrigal will hit, there are concerns as to how much impact he'll make at the plate. So, if its a trade, then, I think you probably have to look at either picking up a very modest non-40-man type prospect return, or picking up a similar questions-but-upside big leaguer. Active. Basically try and get things going. However, that might not matter anymore, as Madrigals hamstring tear may end his season and serves as another major body blow to an already severely depleted White Sox offense. White Sox rookie second baseman Nick Madrigal entered Saturday with a .400 average (16-for-40) with four RBIs and four runs in 11 games. From where I sit, trading Madrigal probably is the right approach, even if I tend toward conservative when it comes to keeping as many pieces as possible in case of injury or underperformance issues. If he *does* offer the bat he showed in 2020 and 2021 (.317/.358/.406/111 wRC+), then hes a guy you want playing somehow, somewhere. This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. In his three-year high school career, Madrigal has struck out in just 4.3 percent of his plate appearances and only 2.4 percent this season as a key catalyst on the team that won the Boras Classic. Thats math for bad. Madrigal had the 12th-lowest slugging percentage for any NL player with 50 or more plate appearances. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. Find out more. Nick Madrigal is a right-handed middle infielder from Oregon State University. Bleacher Nation is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. He went 2-for-4 with one RBI Friday in a 7-4 win at Kauffman Stadium. Although Garca is a switch-hitter and Mendick bats solely from the right side, Garca is better from the right side and Mendicks pitcher handedness splits are relatively even. Comments by third parties are neither sponsored or endorsed by Bleacher Nation. "I think he can play shortstop in the big leagues right now, to be honest with you.". So who knows. Born: Mar 5, 1997 in Sacramento, CA. Until Rick Hahn provides a reinforcement, which is vital, desperate times call for desperate measures. Free Agent: 2027, National Team: Spending the offseason to build a workout plan that combats the way Madrigal runs could lead to success for Madrigal in the health department. Birthplace. $17.00 + $5.60 shipping . At first glance, the thing that sticks out at Nick Madrigal is his size. Jesse Rogers was on ESPN 1000 talking about the Cubs offseason so far, and while discussing catcher additions for the Cubs, spontaneously brought up Madrigal: The glaring hole behind the plate is a tough one to answer, because they have missed out on some guys . "And he really has a lot of energy and he makes things happen. None of MLB, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, the Cubs, the Bears, the Bulls, the White Sox, or the Blackhawks have endorsed, supported, directed, or participated in the creation of the content at this site, or in the creation of the site itself. The annual tournament brings together the top teams and players in California and concludes with a de facto state championship game. Find all your favorite shows on Nick.com! 1. a. : a small notch, groove, or chip. Signed thru 2023, 1 yr/$1.23M (23), Service Time (01/2023): 2.164 Easy enough. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. I think one thing that's a little sneaky about him is the fact that he does have pop. Internal Options for Replacing Nick Madrigal, 2023 South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 8. His hands are incredibly quick and help his arm play up.. The best choice isnt on the bench, or in Charlotte its at third base. He brings talent to the offensive side of the game as well--even if he's not as refined with a bat as he is with a glove. BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! "From just watching, he has the tendency of being more into the air as opposed to a line drive," Eckstein said. Madrigal is 5-foot-8 and not known for his power. Like Luis Robert (No. Madrigal might never be a 20-homer or even a 15-homer yearly presence, but he stridently believes increased power will come with experience. Sometimes they say good things happen in small packages that's definitely what you have with Nick.". Moreover, as a former top draft pick and top prospect who has hit at every level (until last year), you could understand why Madrigal might see himself as a starter right now and who might need those regular at bats to get himself back on rhythm. One, and likely the most practical, is simply in reps at the position in the remainder of the offseason and during Spring Training. Gambling problem? Kids can watch full episodes & videos, play games, and interact with their fave Nick Jr. characters on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. return. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. He was reinstated Aug. 28. Free Agent: 2027, National Team: His manager for the week, Hank Manning--who is also the head baseball coach at Pace University (New York)--thought the same thing. It feels like extremely wishful thinking (right down to the fact that the Blue Jays have something of an overload of second base options, themselves). So Ive really tried to embrace that. "He's just an undersized guy.". Maybe it couldnt hurt, but the Cubs second baseman downplayed that notion as a possible solution to his early struggles at the plate. All rights reserved. Run (60): Madrigal not only possesses plus speed, but he's also aggressive and has good instincts on the bases. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. Despite the early struggles, its still early. But, if he stays healthy, just where does Madrigal fit? Pitchers getting nastier through natural or unnatural methods has less effect on him because he rarely strikes out. Nick Madrigal fell behind 0-2 in his first at-bat back from the injured list Aug. 29 against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field. The way he has been swinging since his return, its hard to tell that he missed any time. Yes. Cubs' Hoerner collides with umpire, leaves game, Cubs put Hoerner on IL with hamstring strain, Cubs activate Arrieta, Hoerner from IL for Tigers, Cubs place Arrieta, Hoerner, Winkler on IL, Cubs option Hoerner to minors; Bote gets 2B job, Cubs foursome share house, awaiting baseball, Playing for October, Cubs preach 'next guy jumps in' mantra with Rizzo, Baez out, Hoerner makes Cubs history with 3 hits, 4 RBIs, Cubs' Bryant gets knee treated, eyes Tue. The Cubs likely just want to preserve as much flexibility as possible for now, because theres no harm in it when youre just talking about mid-January. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The 21-year old stands at 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds. My typical lineup would see Moncada at second and Lamb at third vs RHP, letting Moncada head back to his spot at third base against LHP and starting one of Mendick or Garca at second base. White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal hits an RBI single in the second inning against the Royals on Friday in Kansas City, Mo. Find out more. Could familiarity with former teammates on the White Sox pitching staff be just what the doctor ordered for Nick Madrigal offensively this week? Odds & lines subject to change. Not only was Madrigal batting .305 for the season, but the White Sox already had one of the sports best closers in Liam Hendriks. It happens too quickly for the player at second to catch the ball--even though he didn't have to move his glove an inch. He opted to attend Oregon State and became the best hitter and player in college baseball. He has an ability to find holes. us How Do We Feel About the Blackhawks *WINNING* 7-Game Homestand? They can't just suffocate him like within the outfield and come in, because he has the ability to go gap-to-gap with his swing.". It's just a media site that happens to cover MLB, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Bulls, and the Chicago Blackhawks. Eckstein echoed that and also talked about how Madrigals swing had more power than for what most gave him credit. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. After all, the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to play short, moving Nico Hoerner to second base and outside of 1 game in the Arizona Complex League for the White Sox at shortstop, Madrigal has played every inning of his professional career at second base. "Right away you see the athleticism and then you see his bounce and his ability to play the infield," he said. He was successful, opening the season hitting second and manning the second base position against Milwaukee after a shortened Spring Training. I havent faced a whole lot of teams yet. The rookie separated his left shoulder while sliding feetfirst into third base Aug. 4 in Milwaukee. 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