Cubs' Rule 5 pick Workman off to strong start this spring

MESA, Ariz. -- Rule 5 addition Gage Workman has handled the Chicago Cubs¡¯ intense spring scrutiny with flair. It showed again Monday.

Workman, who can play multiple infield and outfield positions and is contending for a roster spot, continued his strong -- and busy -- spring with a two-hit day in the Cubs¡¯ 10-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He ended 2024 as the Cubs' No. 27 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

The first was an RBI single, off former NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, in the second inning. The second was an apparent single to right-center that he turned into a hustle double in the seventh with a sprint out of the box.

¡°Just go up with a good plan,¡± Workman said of his sharp single in the hole between first and second against Burnes. ¡°Kind of take the name away from it and go up there like it¡¯s another AB and stick to the plan.¡±

Workman has done it all spring, his first after being claimed in the Rule 5 Draft from Detroit. He leads the Cubs in Spring Training at-bats (22), home runs (2), RBIs (8, tied with Michael Busch) and OPS (1.105).

¡°He¡¯s probably in the toughest situation of anybody coming into camp,¡± Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. ¡°It¡¯s a brand new organization. ¡­ You know what the Rule 5 pick means ¡­ and I think he has handled it with a lot of maturity.¡±

A team must keep a Rule 5 selection on its Opening Day roster or offer him back to his previous team.

¡°That¡¯s led to really good performance and just really letting Gage Workman kind of shine,¡± Counsell said. ¡°That¡¯s a left-handed bat with some power, good plate discipline and a good defender. He has shown all three of those things, which is hard to do in a really small sample.¡±

A former switch-hitter, Workman has honed his strike zone awareness since hitting strictly from the left side starting in 2024. He showed a power/speed mix at Double-A Erie in 2024 -- 18 homers, 89 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and an .842 OPS in 126 games.

¡°That¡¯s a big key, plate discipline,¡± Workman said. ¡°Going up there and trying to put together a competitive at-bat every time.¡±

Workman and infielder Vidal Bruj¨¢n appear to be the leading candidates for one infield spot, with non-roster invitee Nicky Lopez also in the equation. One spot on the Japan trip could be open since Nico Hoerner will not travel.

¡°I¡¯m just trying to take care of what I can take care of every day,¡± Workman said. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m playing well defensively. Playing well offensively. Just trying to be someone that the team could use throughout the year.¡±

Taillon does work
Jameson Taillon threw about 55 pitches in a simulated game against Minor League hitters on the Sloan Park mound Monday morning, using the outing to continue working on his changeup.

¡°I like doing it in the stadium,¡± Taillon said. ¡°I feel like you get a little more out of it, a little more adrenaline. I wanted to push the pitch count and push the intensity a little bit.¡±

By pitching the sim game, Taillon avoided facing the Diamondbacks in the Minor League game. He already has faced Arizona once this spring and figures to see the D-backs again in the opening series of the regular season in Arizona from March 27-30.

¡°I¡¯m kind of in the middle of it,¡± Taillon said. ¡°On one hand, you never want to give a team extra looks. On the other hand, if you execute your pitches, it really shouldn¡¯t matter that much. I was all on board with not giving them an extra look.¡±

Taillon has talked about adding velocity after a 2024 season in which he was 12-8 with a 3.27 ERA and a near-career-best 1.13 WHIP.

¡°To preserve, get a little better, that¡¯s really important for him,¡± said Counsell. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be framed as a failure if he preserves what he had last year.¡±

Everyday Matt
Matt Shaw has lofty goals, including channeling Starlin Castro, circa 2012.

¡°One of the main goals is playing every day,¡± said Shaw, who took a work day Monday after making his spring debut Sunday. He had been slowed by left oblique soreness.

¡°That would be a huge accomplishment for me -- a 162-game season, especially being a younger guy,¡± said Shaw, the Cubs' No. 1 prospect and No. 19 overall, according to MLB Pipeline. ¡°They might not have the expectation for you to play every day. But for me, that¡¯s what I dream of. Being up there every day, ups and downs, just gaining more and more experience and adding value and helping win games.¡±

The Cubs are still weighing whether Shaw is better served by traveling to Japan for the season-opening series or taking daily work in Arizona.

Castro is the last Cub to play every game, going 162 in 2012.