If the 2015 MLB playoffs had never happened, you might scoff at the thought of Jorge Soler being a foundational piece for the Chicago Cubs.

Soler? The guy that was one of the 30 worst players in baseball last year? The guy that couldn't make contact, couldn't take a walk, didn't show the power he was supposed to show and ran circles in the outfield? That guy?

Yes, that guy. He's actually one of 2016's best breakout candidates. Given his age and the skills he has demonstrated to date, Soler still profiles well. And his biggest hurdle, well, he has jumped it before.

Let's get to the specifics.

He's young

Major League Baseball, in general, keeps getting younger, but at 23, Soler was still young in a young league. Only 21 players under the age of 24 managed 400 plate appearances last year, and the list reads like a who's who of young stars.