Michael Busch's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings
Player profile
-
HT/WT6' 1'' , 210 lbs
-
Birthdate11/09/1997 (27)
-
CollegeNorth Carolina
-
Draft InfoUndrafted
-
StatusInactive
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has liked what he's seen from infielder Michael Busch as he tries to get more comfortable with the move to first base with his new team after primarily playing second and third base the previous three years. "I've seen the same thing with Michael at first base as in the box," Counsell said. "He's just steady and consistent. That's what it's felt like. Probably the thing you notice is there is athleticism." The 26-year-old left-handed slugger and former first-round pick in 2019 put up impressive numbers in the minors in the Dodgers organization, but he looked overmatched in 27 games in his MLB debut last year. The good news is that Busch is expected to see most of the playing time at first base in Chicago, which will at least make him worthy of fantasy consideration in NL-only leagues in 2024.
Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer off of Hunter Greene against the Cincinnati Reds in Thursdays Cactus League matchup. The round-tripper would be the first of the spring for the Top-100 prospect. He is now hitting .250 with one homer, two RBI and two stolen bases over his first 16 at-bats. Busch, 26, was acquired this offseason after spending his professional career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and will finally have a fair chance to prove his worth at the big-league level without being blocked. Busch has been playing first base with the expectation that he will be there on most days for the Cubs, but the recent extension of Cody Bellinger doesn't help his cause. Dynasty managers have known about Busch for a few years and with enough playing time he can be an intriguing late-round selection in mixed redraft leagues.
Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut on Monday. Cubs' manager Craig Counsell mentioned that Busch has been dealing with some shoulder soreness early in camp. That being said, the Cubs have been extra cautious because it's the beginning of spring. The early expectation was that Busch would see regular time at first base this season. However, the Cubs came to an agreement on a three-year deal with Cody Bellinger on Sunday. Busch will most likely end up falling into a bench role to start the 2024 campaign.
The Chicago Cubs acquired infielder Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte earlier this week from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for lefty Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope. The Athletic's Keith Law thinks Busch is a natural first baseman and will almost certainly play there for the Cubs. He also has experience at second and third base, although he's much more comfortable at the keystone. The 26-year-old gives the Cubs more left-handed thump in the lineup and hits southpaws well enough to project as an everyday player. Busch has been on Law's preseason top-100 prospect rankings for the last three offseasons and is an advanced hitter who has hit for power and hard contact for three straight years in Double-A and Triple-A (79 homers in the last three seasons). In a full-time big-league role, though, Busch is expected to be more of a doubles guy with more of a line-drive swing.
Along with reliever Yency Almonte, the Los Angeles Dodgers are sending infielder Michael Busch to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, according to a source. We still don't have the return confirmed on what is going back to the Dodgers, so stay tuned for more details. The 26-year-old former first-rounder was being blocked at the major-league level in Los Angeles, so a move to Chicago should give him more of an opportunity to crack the big-league lineup in 2024 and beyond. The left-handed-hitting Busch made his big-league debut for the Dodgers in 2023 but went just 12-for-72 (.167) with two home runs and seven RBI in 27 games played. He's likely to compete for the third-base job in Chicago in spring training and could become a platoon option for the Cubs at the hot corner against right-handed pitching.