Cubs' Kyle Schwarber: In consideration for leadoff spot

Schwarber is one of the names being thrown around to fill the vacancy atop the Cubs batting order in 2017, Phil Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Analysis:

He definitely doesn't look like a prototypical leadoff hitter, but the 23-year-old has an excellent eye at the plate (13.2 percent walk rate in 2015) and possesses a .353 OBP in his young career. Schwarber also rates highly as a baserunner and has the instincts and aggressiveness to succeed in the pole position. However, even with the increase in runs that would likely come atop an order featuring Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, Schwarber's RBI total would likely decrease in such a role, which could be a bit of a waste given his immense power. It's still unclear how things will play out, especially since both Jon Jay and Ben Zobrist have experience at the top of the order, but Schwarber's numbers could depend on where manager Joe Maddon decides to place him in the lineup on a day-to-day basis.