2. Willson Contreras
The 25-year-old catcher is one of the premier players at his position already. He’s a fairly good defensive catcher with a big arm behind the dish. Just go ask Jose Lobaton of the Nationals. His caught stealing percentage this season was average but part of that is on the Chicago pitchers. Even if he just provides average defense, he could be a key offensive piece in the Cubs lineup. He doesn’t have any major home/road splits so there’s no reason he can’t produce in Dodger Stadium. There are also no splits to speak of as far as a righty or lefty on the mound. It’s hard to find a complete catcher but Contreras is pretty close.
What really caught my eye when looking over some stats is how Contreras hits the current Dodgers pitching staff. He carries a .360 batting average with a .920 OPS against the Dodgers pitchers he has faced. Rich Hill is a notable exception since he and Contreras have not faced each other. Those are massive numbers regardless of sample size. The Cubs have a star-studded roster that can carry them past the Dodgers and to a second consecutive World Series title. Outside of baseball circles, I’m not sure many realize just how dangerous Contreras makes this Cub lineup.