Jason Kipnis Signs With the Chicago Cubs
Jason Kipnis has signed a one-year minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs for one million dollars plus incentives. This comes from MLB Insider Jon Heyman who broke the news on Twitter today.
Jason Kipnis to Cubs. Minors deal for the Glenbrook North product. 1M plus incentives.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 11, 2020
What Jason Kipnis Brings
Kipnis has always been a starter but the Cubs may use him as more of a backup player or spot starter. Kipnis is primarily a second baseman but played a handful of games in the outfield in 2017 and 2018. With a good Spring, Kipnis could make the roster and earn playing time with the Cubs. Kipnis is a native of Illinois, so he will get the chance to play close to home.
2019 Season
In 121 games in 2019, he hit .245/.304/.410 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI. Although 2019 was an off-year for him, he hopes that he will have a better season in 2020. Kipnis will be playing in his tenth season in the majors after being drafted by the Cleveland Indians back in 2009. Currently, the infield consists of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Nico Hoerner, and Javier Baez. Kipnis will join other infielders like David Bote and Daniel Descalso looking for playing time.
Outlook
It took Kipnis awhile to sign during free agency because he wants to be a starter. Yes, he may not have been worth the $14.6 million he made in 2019, but at $1 million dollars, Kipnis took a significant pay cut to sign with a major league team. Fortunately for him, he signed a contract before Spring Training ensuring he doesn’t miss an opportunity to win a spot on the Cubs roster.
The Chicago Cubs likely acquired Kipnis to bolster their depth in the infield. While Kipnis could bounce back after a rough 2019 season, the move is a low-risk high-reward signing. If things don’t work with the Cubs Kipnis could just be released. However, this is a great move if they can get the perennial All-Star he once was.
