The Chicago Cubs’ Jason Kipnis was a steady hitter for his first few years in the Majors, accruing a wRC+ of 100 or better in four of his first five seasons, and three 4.5+ WAR seasons according to Fangraphs. This winter, the Cubs signed Kipnis to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Minor league deals are never a bad thing, they are low risk, and if the player is terrible, they can quickly be released.
After 2016 after the Cubs beat Kipnis’ Indians in the World Series, Kipnis has been far from the same player he was.