Jeimer Candelario Will Keep Battling

CHICAGO—The first pitch Jeimer Candelario saw in the big leagues was a 100 mph fastball from Noah Syndergaard. He struck out, but two at-bats later got his first big league hit against the same guy.

A few days later, Candelario was back at Triple-A Iowa, just another one of the Cubs’ bright young hitters. As a third baseman blocked behind Kris Bryant in Chicago, the 23-year-old has no natural path to the big league roster as spring training opened.

“We’ve got a big group of guys, young guys and older guys,” Candelario said of the long odds he faces trying to crack a roster in which four returning all-stars—and playoff hero Javier Baez—all return to the infield. All infielders have a minimum of three years of club control remaining.

“I’ve just got to work hard and do the best I can,” said Candelario, who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2010, “and then the front office, they’re going to decide if I can make it or not. If you work hard a lot of good things are going to happen.”

Candelario, a switch-hitter who batted .283/.376/.464 in 132 minor league games in 2016, caught the big league staff’s attention last spring. He knows good things in his case might involve another organization.

With the World Series core in place, Candelario is one of several valued players who could be in play at the trade deadline as the Cubs look to add for the stretch drive.

“You always see the rumors,” said Candelario, who hit .333 in 76 games at Iowa with a .959 OPS. “But I don’t concentrate too much on that. They’re going to make the decision. I don’t make that decision. My job is to be better every day and be a good teammate.”

As long as it might last.

“I’m here with the Chicago Cubs,” he said. “You never know where you’re going to play in the big leagues. But I’m focusing right now to be better every day. And whatever decision the Cubs make, I will do it.”

CUBBYHOLE

• The Cubs promoted Kyle Evans, who spent the last five years in the organization as a scout and special assistant, to director of pro scouting, a job vacated by Jared Porter, who became a Diamondbacks assistant GM.

• Outfielder John Andreoli, who impressed in camp last spring and led the Pacific Coast League with 43 steals, will play for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.