The Cubs made their most significant cuts of the Spring season, cutting several players including optioning Ian Happ, who spent the entire 2018 season on the big league roster.
Happ, who had been considered a shoe in to make the roster, was slashing a horrible .135/.196/.192 line on the Spring with four walks and 14 strikeouts. His issue has been strikeouts as he struck out at a 36.1 percent clip last season and saw his power drop off significantly.
It's definitely a major surprise, but the Cubs may want to go with a deeper bullpen in the early season to keep their arms fresh for a potential playoff run. They might see some serious adjustments he could make, and decided Triple-A was the best spot for those changes.
They also sent down a few pitchers (Dillon Maples and Alec Mills), a catcher (Taylor Davis), an infielder (Cristhian Adames), and an outfielder (Johnny Field).
Maples had a decent shot to win a bullpen job, but with him having options remaining and the Cubs having strong depth it was an easy decision to send him down.
Mills had been battling a back issue and had already been a long shot to win a big league job.
Adames was crushing it this Spring so it was kind of a surprise to see him cut especially with the roster opening due to Addison Russells suspension, but that job seems to be going to David Bote.
Davis will be the everyday Iowa starting catcher and continue to work on developing their pitchers for the big league level.
Field is a nice depth piece, but it would've been a long shot to win a big league roster spot, and he just didn't do enough to impress.
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