Whenever I see Albert Almora Jr. baseballing, one word lights up in my brain: Natural. The first draft pick of this Cubs front office seemingly glides through the outfield and effortlessly slams pitches deep into the bleachers. Enthusiastically cheering on his teammates and expressing genuine joy for the game only adds to his bosses’ belief that the center fielder can become a premier player. During his exit interview, Theo Epstein ensured Almora that he will have a bigger role in 2018.
“You will have more responsibility,” Epstein told the young hitter. “You will have more of a role than you had this year.