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It’s the right mentality to have for a player like Pertuz, who in the grand scheme of things is still very young. At just 22-years-old, Pertuz returning for another year in South Bend is a different feeling for him. An older player spending two years at High-A could be troublesome, but Pertuz is getting a chance to play everyday at Four Winds Field; Something he may not have available at somewhere like Double-A Tennessee.

A log-jam of infielders in the organization that starts at the top from Wrigley Field with Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, then Triple-A with the likes of David Bote and Christopher Morel. Double-A Tennessee features Chase Strumpf, Luis Verdugo, and Andy Weber all competing for playing time.Then there are the players such as Cristian Hernandez at Low-A Myrtle Beach mwho is regarded as one of the best shortstop prospects in the game. Additionally, as Ed Howard continues to rehab back from his injury, where does he fit in there?

All of that boils down to one question. What makes Fabian Pertuz a name that should be on the top of many lists when it comes to the future of a Chicago Cubs starting infield? Simple. The year-by-year improvement, and range displayed on a daily basis.

Early on this season, the patience at the plate, as well as speed on the base paths is what has defined the 2023 South Bend Cubs. It has been well documented that Yohendrick Pinango was one-third of the way to the number of walks that they had all of last season before April ended. But the same can be said about Pertuz, as he gets older, he gets more selective. In the last week of April, Pertuz had an on-base streak that tallied a double digit amount of games. Plus, he was also nearly halfway to his 2022 base on balls total through only 12 games this year.

Stats are nice, but becoming a multifaceted baseball player is how guys get to the Big Leagues fast. Last season, Pertuz started out splitting time between second and third base. That was before he started playing shortstop practically everyday following Howard’s injury.

Here in 2023, it’s the same type of deal to start. Pertuz has shuffled between third, second, and shortstop with Kevin Made starting the year in South Bend and getting most of the time at short. That has not deterred Pertuz, he embraces being able to play all over.

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“After last year I have not played a lot of second base but I still try and practice everyday with Coach DJ (D’Angelo Jiménez),” Pertuz said. “I can feel comfortable playing second base, but I feel great at shortstop most. I will play anywhere they need me, even third base too. It’s important to stay ready for anywhere.”

Being able to stay ready and expect the unexpected suited Pertuz well as his name was called this spring to participate in the World Baseball Classic and play for his home country of Colombia. With Team Colombia,

Pertuz played a consistent amount of time for Colombia, mainly at second base, which included a start and signature moment against the United States. Playing against some of the top talent in the game, Pertuz had a base hit, coincidently off of Kendall

Pertuz was tasked as one of the youngest starting players, and got to be teammates around the infield with big leaguers Gio Urshela and Jorge Alfaro.

“I want to say that it was the most tense but fun moment you can have going to the WBC,” Pertuz said as he chuckled thinking about his experience. “A lot of guys playing were from MLB or coming from The Show, and other guys did not have the opportunity to go there. But there were memories made that I’m going to have for the rest of my life.”

Credit: Joe Rondone, The Republic.

Graveman for the USA. Of course, Graveman won the 2019 Midwest League Championship with the South Bend Cubs, while Pertuz, the 2022 champ, had the base knock.

There were also plenty of photos making the rounds of Pertuz in the infield and the likes of Mike Trout and others in the background of the photographs. Pertuz helped turn three Colombia double plays in their loss against the USA, one of them forcing Trout out at second base.

“That game against the United States I was so excited,” Pertuz said. “When you get to a type of feel and moment like that, you just try to take it all in a play. Playing guys like Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Trea Turner, those are the guys I want to go play in the Big Leagues. And I know I can play at that level.”

As Pertuz grew up as a young player in Colombia dreaming of getting to this stage, he reflected back to his childhood during our interview together for this story at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan. Pertuz credits his parents for getting him to this point, and his idol, Derek Jeter, for the love of playing the middle infield. Specifically shortstop.

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The day before the interview, Pertuz made a Derek Jeter style jump in and throw in the hole at short. The next day, he brought up Jeter as one of the biggest influences on his game. As he credited South Bend Cubs bench obsessed with getting towards. Interestingly enough, Pertuz has only heard about and seen pictures of Wrigley Field. He has never been to The Friendly Confines. But anytime he sees a photo, all he can envision is someday running out of that dugout for a sunny Friday start at 1:20 PM. coach D’Angelo Jiménez earlier for helping his development in the field, Pertuz is about as close to Jeter as you can get. After all, ‘DJ’ made his Big League debut at Yankee Stadium playing next to Jeter at 3rd base before they ultimately won a World Series together.

“Sometimes when we are going to the field on the bus or when we are running out of the dugout at home or on the road I close my eyes and imagine what that same feeling would be if I was at Wrigley Field,” Pertuz added.

So yes, the infield depth chart for the Chicago Cubs right now is quite frankly stacked. And as per everything in the game, nothing is guaranteed. If one thing is for sure, Pertuz has the work ethic to climb up those ranks. It’s just a matter of those daydreams becoming reality, and walking around Waveland and Sheffield to see the real thing for the first time on the bus or when we are running out of the dugout at home or on the road I close my eyes and imagine what that same feeling would be if I was at Wrigley Field,” Pertuz added.

It’s that type of level that Pertuz is so

So yes, the infield depth chart for the Chicago Cubs right now is quite frankly stacked. And as per everything in the game, nothing is guaranteed. If one thing is for sure, Pertuz has the work ethic to climb up those ranks. It’s just a matter of those daydreams becoming reality, and walking around Waveland and Sheffield to see the real thing for the first time.