Another Sign that Dale Sveum “Gets It”: Brett Jackson Will Not Ride the Big League Bench

Last year, after a swirl of injuries in the infield, the Chicago Cubs called up hot-hitting infielder DJ LeMahieu. At the time, his was among the hottest bats in the Minor Leagues, and his future with the Cubs looked modestly bright. Coming up at that time and snagging some starts while they were available made some sense for a kid who might be the future at third or second base down the road. So the Cubs called him up.

And Mike Quade parked him on the bench.

LeMahieu was with the big club on May 30, and didn’t start regularly until June 19. Until then, he got a whopping 17 plate appearances, and just three starts. It was frustrating, confusing, and ultimately fruitless, as LeMahieu’s cooled bat had no success from June 19 to 27, when he was sent back down to the minors. After being sent down to AAA, LeMahieu hit just .286/.328/.366 in the hitting-friendly PCL.

I’m not saying there’s a causal element there (LeMahieu may have struggled anyway, the Cubs may have looked to move him anyway, etc.). I’m just pointing out that it was an incredibly frustrating time for those of us who want to see Cubs prospects playing every day.

Why am I telling the LeMahieu/Quade story? Because it sounds like new manager Dale Sveum has a slightly better appreciation for playing prospects regularly.

When asked about top prospect Brett Jackson making the team out of Spring Training, Sveum knocked it out of the park.

“I don’t think you’re ever going to have a kid like [Jackson] not play,” Sveum said. “He hasn’t played a full year in AAA. He’s either going to make the team and play every day, or he’s going to be in AAA.”

Boom. Nice. That is exactly what I wanted to hear.

For good measure, Sveum added that Jackson wouldn’t even be a great fit as a reserve, because “we have a heck of bench. With [Blake] DeWitt and Reed Johnson and [Jeff] Baker, we’ve probably got as good a bench as there is in the National League.”

I’ll allow you a moment to hesitate on Sveum’s mention of DeWitt as already on the bench (if asked, I doubt he’d confirm that – I think he was just speaking quickly from the top of his head, as he did when he listed potential starting pitchers. I don’t think he’s saying DeWitt is definitely on the team at this point.), before returning to the overall point.

This is good news. This is a manager who understands organizational priorities over his own, personal quest for marginal improvement in April. Sure, the team is ever-so-slightly better with Jackson on the bench than, say, Dave Sappelt. But, in the long-term, the organization could be much worse off, not only because it could stunt Jackson’s development, but also because it could cost the Cubs a year of control of Jackson. Absent a trade, then, Jackson is almost certain to start the year at AAA.

Well done, Dale.

(I know that the difference in prospect-dom between Jackson and LeMahieu is significant. But, at the time of his promotion, many saw LeMahieu as a future starter for the Cubs. That’s the point here. I’m not comparing the two.)

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Latest News

Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

How to Watch Braves vs. Phillies: Live Stream or on TV

The Atlanta Braves, with Spencer Strider on the mound, take on the Philadelphia Phillies (who will counter with Zack Wheeler) in their opening game of the season, at 3:05 PM ET on Friday.Keep reading to find out all the details...

Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

On Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, the New Orleans Pelicans play the Milwaukee Bucks, and Jonas Valančiūnas' 3-pointer prop for this clash requires just one trey.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the BucksJonas Valanciunas' over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

What Would be the Best Draw for the Chicago Bulls in the Play-In Tournament?

Nine games stand between the Chicago Bulls and the Play-In Tournament. I know ... yippie! Practically locked into the No. 9 seed, this puts them in line to host the No. 10 seed at the United Center in Round 1....

Top 25 College Basketball Picks and Best Bets: March 28

The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa State Cyclones hit the court in one of four games on the college basketball slate on Thursday that include a ranked team.How to Bet on Top 25 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Top 25 Games for...

What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Arizona Diamondbacks begin their season as -226 favorites in a home tilt against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on ARID.Arizona's Zac Gallen and Colorado's Kyle Freeland have been named the starters for this contest.Diamondbacks...

Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Seattle Mariners start their season as home favorites (-155) in a matchup with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on NESN from T-Mobile Park.Seattle's Luis Castillo and Boston's Brayan Bello have been named the...

Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Cleveland Guardians look to start their season with a win as road favorites (-145) in a season-opening matchup with the Oakland Athletics. First pitch is on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET on NBCS-CA, live from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.Cleveland's Shane...

more cubs news