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Michael Busch 2024 Player Outlook: Defensively-Challenged, Unproven Lefty Power Bat
10 months agoInfielder Michael Busch was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs this offseason. Most of his playing time with the Dodgers came at the hot corner, but he's expected to be moved to first base with his new club in 2024 because his glove isn't exactly his strong suit. Busch made his major-league debut in 2023 in LA and went 12-for-72 (.167) with two homers, seven RBI and 27 strikeouts in 27 games played. It remains to be seen if the 26-year-old left-handed hitter's bat can produce enough at the big-league level to make him a valuable corner-infield option for fantasy managers. The former first-rounder mashed to the tune of .323/.431/.618 with a 1.049 OPS and 27 home runs in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in 2023, but he only had two of his 27 homers against lefties, making him potentially vulnerable to a platoon role in Chicago. The trade to the Windy City will give Busch more of an opportunity to play in his rookie season, but expecting him to contribute in shallow-mixed fantasy leagues right away would be a mistake. ATC is projecting Busch to hit .236/.316/.409 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI and 47 runs scored in 398 plate appearances in his first year with the Cubbies.
