Tommy Birch

tbirch@dmreg.com

As the Chicago Cubs took on the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, Willson Contreras sat in the Principal Park locker room about 900 miles away closely watching how Jake Arrieta attacked the hitter.

Contreras is doing everything in his power to be fully prepared if the Cubs come calling for the minor league catcher.

The Iowa Cubs catcher extended his hitting streak to 17 games during his team's 14-9 loss against the Round Rock Express before an announced crowd of 10,329 fans Saturday night.

“I’m just trying to pay attention to the little details that can help me when I get up there,” Contreras said.

It might only be a matter of time before Contreras makes his big-league debut. The 2015 Cubs minor league player of the year has adjusted well to his first season at the Triple-A level.

Contreras, who won the Southern League batting crown in 2015 with a .333 batting average, has picked up right where he left off. He entered Saturday night's game with a .349 batting average with 14 doubles, nine home runs and two triples.

“When he gets his pitch to hit, he doesn’t miss,” said Iowa manager Marty Pevey.

Contreras' bat might be as hot as it has ever been but Contreras said he's not getting wrapped up in the hitting streak. He said before Saturday night's game he didn't even know how high it had gotten.

"I just go out there and fight and battle," Contreras said. "Every pitch I just try to get my pitch to hit and try not to do too much with the baseball. I'm just trying to to put the ball in play and see what happens."

His bat isn’t what’s holding up the call-up. The Cubs already have three catchers in Chicago in Miguel Montero, David Ross, and Tim Federowicz. That’s not the only thing keeping him in Des Moines, either.

After working his way around the field his first three seasons, Contreras moved behind the plate in 2012. Like any other catcher, it’s taken Contreras time to learn all the challenges that come with the job — calling games, blocking balls, throwing out runners and building relationships with his pitchers.

Even while he’s in Des Moines, Contreras is working on building that camaraderie with Chicago’s pitchers. He said he routinely watches Chicago’s games on television or his iPad.

Contreras said he’ll often sit alone in his bedroom and focus on how Chicago’s pitchers work. When he can’t watch a game live, Contreras will watch the highlights. He wants to know what’s working for a pitcher and what’s not.

“If you watch on TV, you pay a lot of attention, you can pick (up) a lot of things — what guys want to do in certain situations,” Contreras said.

Right now, all Contreras can do is watch from afar and wait for his turn. While fans are clamoring to see him in Chicago, Contreras said he’s trying to tune that talk out.

“I feel close,” Contreras said. “If you’re a Triple-A guy and you’re hitting and doing everything you’re supposed to do, you feel close but ... I don’t make the decision. I came here to do my best and keep working hard.”