MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Michael Conforto is looking to regain his form with the Chicago Cubs.
Conforto agreed to a minor league deal with the Cubs that includes an invitation to major league camp for spring training. The outfielder is expected to compete for a reserve role.
Conforto, who turns 33 on Sunday, struggled last season after agreeing to a $17 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a career-low .199 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 138 games for the World Series champions, who did not use him in the postseason.
Conforto steps into a crowded picture when it comes to Chicago's reserve outfielders. Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson, two more veterans, also are in camp on minor league deals. Kevin Alcántara, one of the team's top prospects, is another option, and Matt Shaw is expected to see some time in the outfield as part of his super-utility role.
Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong are everyday outfielders for the Cubs, and Seiya Suzuki will play right or serve as the designated hitter most of the time.
“Michael had a down year last year, but has been a good player in this league for quite a while,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Monday. “Sometimes when you sign guys, it's like where is the opportunity here, and then we show up in five days and there's a big opportunity. So that's how you look at this.”
Conforto bats from the left side, while McCormick, Alcántara and Shaw are right-handed hitters. Carlson is a switch-hitter.
Counsell said Conforto being a lefty batter factored in the team's decision to take a closer look.
“I think that's a real thing, for sure,” Counsell said. “I think it's an area that, I think we have that in our primary lineup, but kind of after that group, it was a place where we felt a little light.”
Conforto was selected by the New York Mets with the No. 10 pick in the 2014 amateur draft. He made his big league debut the following year.
He had a breakout season with New York in 2017, making the NL All-Star team while batting .279 with 27 homers and 68 RBIs. He set career highs with 33 homers and 92 RBIs for the Mets in 2019.
“He's a player that's had a lot of success in this league, and if he can recapture some of that, we're going to have a useful player,” Counsell said.
After sitting out in 2022 while he recovered from right shoulder surgery, Conforto signed a $36 million, two-year deal with San Francisco. He hit .237 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 2024 in his last year with the Giants.
Conforto has a .245 career batting average with 179 homers and 556 RBIs in 10 major league seasons.
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