Matt Mervis, 2023 Fantasy Outlook

I did a google for Matt Mervis and his ETA and I found he’s going to be promoted to the Cubs in 2022. Very cool, let’s see how he did. Let me do another google for us. Hmm, I’m not seeing any stats for Matt Mervis with the Cubs. They must’ve had some great 1st baseman in the North Side of Chicago, huh? Let’s see…Alfonso Rivas? Hmm…I don’t remember him being, how do they say it, good. I kid, of course, Alfonso Rivas was great (if you don’t know what the word great means). Rivas hit three homers and .235, but in only 101 games. Maybe he needs more of a chance? Say, another 4,000 games? No? Okay. Oh, I’m being told Rivas was only the lefty side of the 1st base platoon for the Cubs! Of course! The righty side must’ve been so much better, right? Let’s see…P.J. Higgins got 38 games at first and hit six homers and .229. Pajamas Higgins must’ve just had a bad year! What? That’s his best season at the plate in eight years of pro ball? Oh, okay. So, my point is obviously that Matt Mervis is going to be the Cubs’ 1st baseman to start the season, unless they want to see more from Pajamas. *weighing options with hands as scales* Pajamas, who sucks worse than feety pee-jays…Or a good prospect. Hmm, tough call. So, what can we expect from Matt Mervis for 2023 fantasy baseball?

Okay, let’s get some eyes on Never Nervous Matt Mervis:

Another tank for Matt Mervis #Cubs pic.twitter.com/WOTgOezQOQ

— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) October 14, 2022

Lefty dropping the bat, then his head and rounding the bases is one of the most pleasing sights in baseball. Here’s one more with a little more flare:

A perfect bat flip for a perfect homer ?

Matt Mervis leaves the yard for the second time this season, putting the Solar Sox within one of the Desert Dogs! #AFL22@Cubs @NBCSCubs pic.twitter.com/d3xr4hVjFu

— MLB’s Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) October 14, 2022

Not the best angle on where the ball went, but I showed it to you so you could see how easy it is for him. Power, that is. He’s got easy power. Across three levels last year, he hit 36 homers, ending the season in Triple-A with 15 HRs in 209 at-bats in Triple-A. Said in a similar but different way then with some additional information: From Itch’s Cubs top 10 prospects, “The 6’ 4” 225-pound Mervis hit 36 home runs in 137 games across three levels and keeps on hitting them in the Arizona Fall League, where he’s got six homers in 15 games (as of Friday). He has struck out and walked thrice a piece, continuing the case of the disappearing strikeouts after K-ing in just 14.6 percent of his Triple-A plate appearances. Should open 2022 in the major league lineup, and knock down major-league pitching like I’d knock down Grey.” Not cool at all.

Matt Mervis is a 25-homer guy in the majors tomorrow with no change in approach. He sorta came out of nowhere, and he’s not young. At 24 years old, it would be easy to write him off, but he was a college guy who lost 2020. I asked Itch if Mervis was going to be Tork 2.0, and he said he hoped not, then asked for my GPS coordinates to send a drone. Itch also added that Mervis has more reps against good arms and he keeps getting better. There’s super sexy rookie fantasy outlook posts like my Jordan Walker fantasy, and there’s this one. Matt Mervis is not super sexy. He reminds me of every super late cornerman that is drafted in every league. He could be absolutely usable though in most leagues. 25/.260 guys have value, even if it’s slightly less sexy than a Jordan Walker or Corbin Carroll possible 30/30 season. Matt Mervis feels like he’ll be absolutely free in drafts, and could give you a Jose Abreu-type year. For 2023, I’ll give Matt Mervis projections of 62/24/76/.254/1 in 531 ABs with a chance for a decent walk rate too, since he knows how to take a walk.