Mervis went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 4-1 win over the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

Getting the start at first base and batting seventh, Mervis didn't have an eye-popping big-league debut but did bring home Cody Bellinger with a single in the eighth inning for the game's final run. Mervis figures to hold down a regular spot in the lineup as the Cubs see what their top hitting prospect can do, but if the 25-year-old does stumble out of the game, Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer remain available to cut into his workload -- at least for the moment.

The Cubs selected Mervis' contract from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

News broke Thursday of Mervis' impending promotion and the move is now official. The Cubs have received very little production from Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini in the first base/designated hitter spots, so they've now turned to their top prospect in hopes that he can provide a boost. Mervis sports a .286/.402/.560 slash line with six home runs and a 19:18 K:BB over 24 games with Iowa this season. It'll be the 25-year-old's first stint in the big leagues. Mervis is starting at first base and batting seventh in his debut Friday versus the Marlins and manager David Ross confirmed that the rookie would be in the lineup regularly, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Cubs are expected to promote Mervis from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Mervis had a massive breakout season in the minors last year (.984 OPS, 36 home runs, 119 RBI in 137 games) as he ascended through three different levels of the Cubs' farm system, and he's backed it up out of the gate here in 2023 with a .962 OPS in 24 games at Triple-A Iowa. The 25-year-old should get everyday playing time between first base and designated hitter and offers high-level fantasy upside in the power department. Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer could both be dinged on playing time with the arrival of Mervis, though that should be a good thing overall for Chicago's offense.

Mervis is slashing .267/.426/.533 with three home runs and more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) through 61 plate appearances with Triple-A Iowa.

EDGE Analysis

Mervis, who just turned 25, had a 152 wRC+ in 57 games at Triple-A last year, so it would have been disappointing if he'd not gotten off to a great start. Nonetheless, his 21.3 percent walk rate is pretty eye opening -- he had a 10.4 percent walk rate in 240 plate appearances for Iowa last year. Trey Mancini (-0.7 fWAR), Eric Hosmer (-0.1 fWAR) and Edwin Rios (-0.2 fWAR) have all been below replacement-level players so far this season, so Mervis could get a look sooner than later.

Mervis was reassigned Thursday to the minor-league side of Cubs camp, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

Mervis appears to be the first baseman of the future on the North Side of Chicago, but he'll have to wait a little longer to get his shot after the organization brought in both Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini over the winter. The 24-year-old put up a .984 OPS with 36 home runs and 119 RBI in 137 games last season between three different levels of the Cubs' minor-league system.

Mervis finished the World Baseball Classic 1-for-13 with a walk while playing for Team Israel.

EDGE Analysis

Mervis faced some stiff MLB-level competition in a pool that featured the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, so the struggles aren't too surprising. The 24-year-old is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Iowa, though he likely isn't that far away from his debut in the majors. Mervis had an OPS north of .900 at both Double-A and Triple-A in 2022 and could make a fantasy impact if he sees regular playing time for the Cubs at any point.

Mervis will "almost certainly" begin the 2023 season at Triple-A Iowa following the Cubs' offseason signings of Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini, Sahadev Sharma and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report.

EDGE Analysis

Though Hosmer and Mancini will be due less than $8 million combined in 2023, the Cubs brought the two veterans aboard with the intention of having them see the bulk of the starts at first base and designated hitter, respectively, to begin the campaign. Because Mervis is a left-handed hitter like Hosmer and the righty-hitting Mancini has performed similarly against right- and left-handed pitching during his career, the Cubs wouldn't have a short-side platoon role available for the 24-year-old, who looks like he'll have to wait for an injury or for one of the two incumbents to struggle before he gets his first taste of the majors. While the offseason moves are disappointing development for Mervis investors who were expecting the power-hitting first baseman to claim an Opening Day role on the heels of a breakout season at the upper levels of the minors and a productive run in the Arizona Fall League, his status as an older prospect along with the Cubs' relatively minimal investment in Hosmer and Mancini still bodes well for his chances at getting an extended run in the big leagues at some point in 2023.

Mervis is on the radar to win a roster spot in spring training next year, according to manager David Ross, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

"There's a big hole for me at first base," Ross said. "No doubt he'll have a great opportunity in front of him moving forward." Mervis has had an outstanding season across the three highest levels of the minors, and his strikeout and walk rates kept trending in the right direction against better competition. The 24-year-old lefty-hitting first baseman slashed .297/.387/.595 with 14 home runs, a 14.2 percent strikeout rate and a 10.7 percent walk rate in 54 games at Triple-A. He has 35 homers on the season. Despite not having any MLB experience, Mervis is arguably the most appealing first baseman on the Cubs' roster for 2023 fantasy value.

Mervis has a .312/.370/.612 batting line with 23 homers, 88 RBI and 27:79 BB:K across three levels of the minors this year.

EDGE Analysis

The 24-year-old has surged from High-A to Triple-A over the course of the 2022 campaign, and he's posted an OPS north of .900 at each stop. Mervis is just nine games into his Triple-A tenure, but he's already slammed a pair of homers, four doubles and a triple in that short time. A left-handed batter, Mervis has put up a good-enough .796 OPS against southpaws this year -- a promising stat for his future as a potential everyday first baseman for the Cubs. The only obstacle in his way at this point is Frank Schwindel, who's struggled to a .654 OPS this season.