The Chicago Cubs went into the 2023 All-Star Break looking like they were going to be sellers and mail it in on the season. This spelled doom for guys like Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman, as their names were floated onto the chopping block with the MLB trade deadline approaching. Nevertheless, the Cubs came out of the All-Star break scorching hot and haven't looked back since. At 22-12 since the break, the Cubs currently find themselves in the second NL Wild Card spot and three games back of the first spot occupied by the Philadelphia Phillies. Not to mention, the NL Central crown is still very much in play for the Cubs, as they are 65-59 and only 2.5 games back of the 68-57 Milwaukee Brewers. Besides the plenty of total games remaining in the regular season, the Cubs also have five games left against the Brewers, and each of those contests will prove pivotal in determining who wins the division. With every game now a chance to improve their playoff positioning, the Cubs need to start considering who they will promote to the roster with MLB September call-ups looming. For the Cubs, there are two obvious prospects in Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Mervis.

The Cubs have one of the more scorching hot lineups in baseball and really will not need to rely on MLB September call-ups for much help as the season comes down to the final stretch. Bellinger has been one of the best hitters in baseball this year, and guys like Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ have all fulfilled their ends of the bargain after receiving big contracts last offseason. Additionally, Seiya Suzuki has gotten really hot recently, and MLB trade deadline acquisition Jeimer Candelario has proven why the Cubs traded for him ever since his arrival. Lastly, guys like Christopher Morel and Mike Tauchman have come up big for the Cubs in the second half, complementing a really well-rounded lineup in Chicago. Still, once the MLB September call-ups start to happen, the Cubs will take a look at their roster and see that they should promote prospects Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Mervis.

*Prospects via MLB

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the top ranked prospect in the Cubs farm system, and he continues to prove why. At just 21-years-old, Armstrong was promoted to Triple A recently and has immediately had a massive impact. From his stellar speed and range in center field to his dynamic bat at the top of the lineup, almost every game he proves why the Cubs made him a primary piece in the trade that sent Javier Baez to the New York Mets in 2021. Even though he is very young, the Cubs would be wise to promote Armstrong to the roster and give him a taste of meaningful late season baseball.

During MLB Spring Training, Pete Crow-Armstrong endeared himself to Cubs fans with some insane plays in center field. Although his age and an already stacked outfield guaranteed that he wouldn't make the opening day roster, Armstrong gave Cubs fans plenty to be excited about for the future. With the Cubs now looking at a playoff push and their entire outfield swinging the bat well, the MLB September call-ups would be a perfect time to promote Armstrong. The Cubs would not need to rely upon him by any means, but they would give him some very valuable experience given the fact that he figures to be a future face of the franchise. When Armstrong is an everyday player and trying to lead the Cubs into future postseasons, he will be able to reflect upon his experience on the 2023 roster. Once the MLB September call-ups arrive, Pete Crow-Armstrong must be considered one of the top Cubs prospects to promote to the roster.

Matt Mervis

Matt Mervis made his MLB debut for the Cubs earlier this season, although he didn't play that will in limited time. Still, he would be one of the better Cubs prospects to promote for a few reasons. One, he already has some MLB time, so he wouldn't be phased by the bright lights if he was given an opportunity to contribute in a game that has playoff implications. However, the primary reason is the type of player that he is. Mervis is a left-handed power bat, arguably the most coveted commodity in MLB lineups. Other than Bellinger, the Cubs don't have a true left-handed power bat like Mervis in their current lineup. Adding Mervis as a possible left-handed power bat to come off the bench in pinch-hit situations would be a super valuable asset come regular season crunch time.

As well as the fact that Mervis is a left-handed power bat, he also plays first base as his primary position. Recently, the Cubs have been using a rotation at first base between Bellinger and Candelario; with Mervis on the roster, Bellinger could stick to the outfield where he is a former Gold Glove winner, and Candelario could remain at third base where he has a much stronger arm than someone like Nick Madrigal who has been picking up the slack. In general, adding Mervis would give manager David Ross a lot more positional flexibility for his everyday lineups. It is clear that when teams start to take advantage of the MLB September call-ups, the Cubs needs to promote Matt Mervis once again to their active roster.