5 Bold Predictions For the Cubs in 2022

 As we enter 2022, it's time for goals to be set, predictions to be made, and chance to make things happen. I hope all of you have a fantastic New Years and looking forward to the year ahead! It's also time to make my own predictions for the Cubs in 2022. 

The Cubs Will Sign Carlos Correa

Wow! I really surprised you there...but I have a gut feeling they will. Think ahead to 2024 when the Cubs have Correa, Davis, Kilian, Marquez...anyway, yeah. I can tell you one thing though, if the Cubs sign Correa the whole baseball world (and the Cubs fanbase) will be going insane. I'll borrow from myself what I mentioned about him before:

• He can hit well. To say the least. He batted .279/.366/.485 with a 134 wRC+ in 2021, so if you think Correa isn't worth it, let me tell you that his bat is worth it in itself. He boasted a low 18.1% K rate and a high 11.7% BB rate along with an overall 5.8 WAR. Along with that, he also had a Max EV of 116.4 MPH, which is in the top 3% of the league. C'mon, that bat in the Cubs lineup? Solid!
• His defense is also stellar, ranking in the top 10 of all infielders in all MLB. He had a 12 OOA (Outs Above Average) in 2021, which ranks No. 13 in all fielders in MLB in 2021. That is especially useful with a groundball-reliant rotation and shortstop being a weak spot for the Cubs.
• He'll provide the reliable presence of a shortstop that will be with the Cubs when they start competing again. I get why he wants so much many and a long-term deal, and at this point I really want the Cubs to do whatever it takes to get him.

My prediction is the Cubs will sign Carlos Correa. How many years? How much money? I can't say for sure. And also, don't get mad at me if it doesn't happen...please.

Michael Hermosillo Takes Off

Hermosillo had very limited time with the Cubs in 2021 before his injury, but what he showed was impressive. It wasn't so much the batting average (.194), but rather the power and defense. He had a .500 SLG in 36 AB and a 1 OAA. 

The Cubs brought Hermosillo back on a MLB deal this offseason after non-tendering him. That shows they really see something in him that they like and are hoping it pays off. Here's some things that I hope goes right for Hermosillo in 2022:

• He gets enough chances. I think that with the more chances to prove himself and to show his abilities, he will be able to show them and get into the groove of being an everyday outfielder. 
• He stays healthy. An injury ended his stint with the Cubs in 2021, and I seriously hope that injuries don't prevent him from playing his best in 2022. It seems like 2022 is his one chance to prove himself, so it is really critical that he doesn't get injured.
• The slugging continues. With the amount of crazy power he has, it would be very beneficial for the lineup and the Cubs if he added that power and slugging to the lineup. It would certainly help balance out the contact hitters (Madrigal, Hoerner) and add to the power-hitters already there.
• The strikeouts don't get too out of hand. He has a career 31.4% K rate in all his MiLB and MLB career, and it could definitely be a hinderance to his production if it gets too out of hand.

With all that said, and all the potential factors for things to go wrong, I really do think he'll "break out" in 2022. I actually really do hope that happens because it'll help guide the Cubs with the future of the outfield, and if he can prove himself to be a solid everyday outfielder, that'll be a great help.

The Cubs Will Reach 80 Wins

I did an article recently on how many games the Cubs can win in 2022, and I am a believer in the Cubs winning 80 games in 2022. A lot of things have to go right to get to that, including rotation, outfield, infield defense, etc. Here's some things to count on for the Cubs to reach 80 wins:

• Frank Schwindel is for real. I think one critical part to the Cubs' success is that Schwindel is still really good. I don't mean he has to be at the level he was in 2021, but even if he hits as well as Fangraphs projects, he'll still be a very solid power hitter in the Cubs' lineup.
• The defense steps up. With so many groundball pitchers, the infield defense needs to be exceptionally good this year. Getting Correa will certainly help, but Madrigal/Bote/Wisdom/Schwindel all need to be good as well.
• There are no major injuries. Injuries happen, and no doubt they will happen some to Cubs players. By major injuries, I mean like Stroman, Schwindel, Alzolay getting injured and being knocked off for most of the season. I especially hope that for the younger players (Alzolay, Steele, Marquez, etc) so they can get uninterrupted experience.
• The outfield gets figured out. I've talked about this before, but it really does need to get figured out. They need guys who can cement themselves as everyday outfielders, and if Hermosillo and Happ can do that alone, that'll be a big step in the right direction.

Is it a guarantee that the Cubs will hit 80+ wins? No. Like I've said, a lot of things need to go right. But my prediction is that the Cubs will reach 80 wins in 2022. It won't be enough to reach the playoffs, at least I don't think so, but it's a big step in the right direction.

Alzolay Will Be Elite

From what we saw with him in 2021, he struggled in the rotation but was elite in the bullpen. So, I'm not talking just being elite in the bullpen, I'm talking him being really good in the rotation. To get to that point, things do need to happen:

• Figure out lefties. Of course, this is the biggest thing and many people have talked about it, but it really is critical to his success in the rotation. If he figures out lefties, that alone will raise his stats by quite a bit in a good way.
• Figure out the homeruns. Another big point of his 2021 season was all the homers hit off of him. I'm not suggesting one way or another to fix it, but it does need to be fixed. Control? Pitches? Something needs to be changed to help that.
• Build up durability. To be an elite starting pitcher, you need to be able to go 6-7 innings. Of course, it varies by game, but building up that durability is important. I'd love to see him going six innings consistently without getting beat up.

There's a few other things as well that I could mention, like strikeout pitches, etc., but these are the main things that would have to happen. But you know what? I can actually see this happening, and Alzolay becoming an elite pitcher. That's my prediction.

Brennen Davis Is Going To Stun The Cubs

Not like the Cubs haven't been already impressed by Davis, but I'm talking stunning the Cubs by how well he does at the major league level. I'm talking hitting homers left and right, making some cool catches in the outfield, and just tearing up the league. I'd love to see that, but yes, things would have to go right:

• Adjust to MLB pitching. This is across the board for all minor league players moving up, and it really is a big hurdle. Strikeout rates and weak contact spike, leading to their poor numbers. This happens a lot. But in order for Davis to follow my prediction, he'll have to figure it out fast.
• DON'T GET INJURED. Specifically, while still in Triple A. I really don't want him to have any setbacks, and really hope he'll be able to make his debut in 2022. An injury would set him back, and I think the Cubs want to see his MLB capabilities sooner rather than later.

There's a lot more I could mention, such as keeping up the power, doing well in Triple A to begin with, etc. But my bold prediction is that Davis will be tearing up the league at his MLB debut and on. That'd sure be great!

That concludes my predictions for the Cubs in 2022. I would like if every one happened, and I think every one has the potential to happen, but sometimes things don't happen like we want them to happen or not as soon as we wanted. So, I'll leave this as it is, and if I get them all right someone owes me tickets to a game at Wrigley.