So far, Mike Olt's spring performance has earned him a spot on the Cubs' opening day roster. Could the starting third base job be next?
I'm betting on it. The guy was a top prospect for the Rangers a couple years ago, and given that he's already 25, the Cubs need to see what they have in him, especially with Javier Baez and Kris Bryant waiting in the wings
So what do they have in him? Well, his five home runs in 55 at-bats say a lot. Power and patience are what he brings to the table. Maybe not so much batting average, but the Cubs' claim that a vision problem contributed to his .201 mark between Double- and Triple-A last year is becoming more believable.
Ultimately, Olt's contact issues may prevent him from becoming more than a platoon player or reserve at the major-league level, which is why I'm not going crazy over his spring power display, but if nothing else, he's a legitimate NL-only sleeper now. And if he gets off to a hot start, he'll deserve a look in mixed leagues as well, especially since he'll be eligible at third base by then.