Chicago Cubs Add Pair of Infielders to MLB Roster
The Chicago Cubs major league roster became a little clearer Sunday when the team announced that a pair of offseason acquisitions would be making the trip to Japan with the team for next week’s Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Vidal Brujan and Gage Workman will be added to the 31-man roster for the ten-day trip to Japan. It paved the way for them to be a part of the 26-man active roster moving forward when the team begins regular play at the end of the month.
Brujan, acquired in a December trade with the Miami Marlins, is a 27-year-old prospect who hasn’t yet realized his potential with the Marlins but has a chance to grow with the Chicago Cubs in 2025. Workman, a 25-year-old Rule 5 Draft selection taken from the Detroit Tigers, has been scorching hot this spring. With the injury to Nico Hoerner, both players have the opportunity to join the major league roster for the 2025 Tokyo Series.
Workman and Brujan Impress for the Chicago Cubs
It was announced Sunday that the Chicago Cubs will be adding Brujan and Workman to the 31-man Tokyo Series roster. The pair of infielders have impressed the front office enough in their first season with the Chicago Cubs and will have the opportunity to earn significant playing time with the major league roster if they can produce against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Brujan was acquired in an offseason trade with the Miami Marlins. The Chicago Cubs sent Matt Mervis and cash considerations to the Marlins in exchange for Brujan. Brujan, now 27, is hitting .219 with a .297 OBP, .406 SLG, 1 HR, 3 RBI, and 4 SB in 14 games. In four major league seasons, three with Tampa Bay and one with Miami, Brujan has hit .189 with a .261 OBP, .270 SLG, 5 HR, 40 RBI, and 14 SB in a total of 201 games.
Workman was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, taking him from the Detroit Tigers. In Cactus League play this spring, Workman has been on a tear. In 15 games, he is hitting .424 with a .474 OBP, .727 SLG, 3 HR, 13 RBI, and 3 SB. In his four minor league seasons, Workman has hit .248 with a .327 OBP, .425 SLG, 57 HR, 263 RBI, and 110 SB in 472 games across the A, high-A, and AA levels.
Final Thoughts
While Hoerner is still an established member of the active roster and infield rotation when he gets back to full strength, I am excited to see what these players can do for the major league team. It will also be interesting to see if their Spring Training success is any indication of what they can contribute to the Tokyo Series and beyond. Brujan is more of a question mark to me than Workman. I hope Workman gets more opportunities than Brujan if it comes down to choosing between the two.
When the Chicago Cubs jettisoned a sizable amount of their infield bench players this offseason I wasn’t sure how they were going to replace them. I’m more confident now that these guys have stepped up and made themselves good options for Craig Counsell, but everything that they have done in the Cubbie Blue pinstripes so far this spring goes out the window when the first pitch is thrown in Tokyo next Wednesday morning. Realistically only one of these players will have the opportunity to be regular depth pieces at the major league level when Hoerner returns, so I hope one of them uses this chance to earn that spot.
