Nazier Mule – Pic by Rich Biesterfeld
When Nazier Mule was taken by the Cubs in the 2022 draft, the Cubs said that he was going to be given the opportunity to play both ways à la Shohei Ohtani.
When the Cubs took Mule in 2022, here is what Dan Kantrovitz said of his then recent draft pick.
“I think we’re gonna be open-minded to somebody that might be able to do both or however that evolves going forward.”
Mule did not play that first year. At the onset of the 2023 season, Mule underwent Tommy John Surgery. The two-way player missed all of last season.
Heading to 2024, there is still a lot of reason for optimism.
In fact, he should be one of the breakout stars of 2024. Here’s why.
1. While he did not play a game, Mule did do his rehab out in Mesa and spent a lot of time working on proper nutrition and weight training is now a little bit bulkier than before.
2. Mule’s rehab saw him doing some hitting work in the cage last year in instructs along with taking grounders. The scuttle was that he was going to be ready to play on opening day 2024.
3. The fact that Mule is said to have been ready for 2024 leads me to believe that he’s going to be playing some shortstop while having his throwing/rehab program still being closely monitored. If the goal is to be a two-way player, the Cubs are most likely to take their time with him and have him begin the year in extended spring training. There he could get daily at-bats. He could DH and continue with rehab throwing program. He may even pitch 15 or 20 pitches once a week towards the end of extended spring training.
I originally thought he would be best as a pitcher. Now, I am not so sure. I am still open minded enough to let his play and development determine that.
For me, what Mule does in the first half of the season is really going to set himself up for success in the second half. I would love to see him at Myrtle Beach playing shortstop or being an opener on the mound. The Cubs are going to take their time with him in building up those innings. So he might only be pitching one day a week. But it’s the shortstop aspect of his career that I’m currently most interested in because I think he’s going to be something else pretty quickly.
In seven months time, we could be looking back at this post and reflecting upon how well he has done at either Mesa or Myrtle Beach. There is something special when he is at the plate as the ball just jumps on his bat.
Then again, Mule is going to be getting pro instruction at pitching, too. Some of the things a rehab process at the pro level teaches you are just exactly why the elbow broke down. Players learn what they were doing wrong. What caused the elbow stress and how they can make adjustments to help alleviate that stress, whether they be mechanical or muscular. Mule could be better than he was before.
The bottom line is this: Mule is going to break out. Of that I’m certain. The questions for 2024 are not how and why, but rather where and when will he breakout.
