Mervis earns high praise from Hoyer, organizational honor originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Team president Jed Hoyer had high praise for Matt Mervis after the Cubs first base prospect’s special 2022 season.
“I thought Matt had one of the best minor league seasons I’ve been around,” Hoyer said Monday at his end-of-season press conference.
“Certainly, the best minor league season I’ve been around of someone that, I would say going into the season, it was unexpected.”
Unexpected, but by the end of the season, there was no doubt: Mervis was the Cubs’ minor league player of the year — as the organization officially announced Wednesday.
Luis Devers, who had a stout season in Single-A, was named Cubs minor league pitcher of the year.
After a down first professional season in 2021, Mervis — an undrafted free agent signing following MLB’s five-round 2020 draft — hit at every level he played at this season.
He opened in High-A and earned promotions to Double-A and Triple-A, hitting a combined .309/.379/.605 in 137 games, leading the minor leagues with 119 RBIs.
His 36 home runs were most by a Cubs minor league player since Kris Bryant hit 43 in 2014.
Mervis put together that full body of work by hitting at each level as he progressed up the farm system.
— With High-A South Bend: .350/.389/.650, seven homers, 29 RBIs, 1.039 OPS, 27 games
— With Double-A Tennessee: .300/.370/.596, 14 homers, 51 RBIs, .966 OPS, 53 games
— With Triple-A Iowa: .297/.383/.593, 15 homers, 39 RBIs, .976 OPS, 57 games.
Additionally, with each promotion Mervis dropped his strikeout rate.
He’s put himself on the map for a big-league debut in 2023, and could compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
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Said Hoyer: “For a guy that struggled last year in Myrtle in his first pro season, to start in South Bend and dominate three levels and really, actually almost improve his underlying numbers at each level is not something I’ve been a part of.
“Hopefully he’ll continue that this fall,” added Hoyer of Mervis, who’s currently playing in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. “Really, really special season.”
Devers, 22, spent 2022 between low-A Myrtle Beach and South Bend, going 13-3 with a 1.91 ERA in 26 games (22 starts). He struck out 122 with 26 walks in 117 2/3 innings.
That includes a 1.05 ERA in 11 games/eight starts (51 1/3 innings) with South Bend.