At times this summer, incoming Detroit Tigers infielder Zack Short found himself watching live baseball with a bat in his hands, attempting to get the pitcher’s timing down.
Short, who spent last season with the Chicago Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate, wasn’t invited to Chicago’s alternative site despite making their 40-man roster last November following an injury-shortened season. Short described it as a “gut punch,” but he understood the logic.
The Cubs have a stacked infield led by Javy Baez, Kris Bryant and recent first-rounder Nico Hoerner, mixed with veteran reserves Jason Kipnis and David Bote.