David Ross, like most managers, doesn’t take too much stock in spring training stats. 

When preparing for early season games, Ross tries to go off any games the team has played in the regular season and any past information they have on opponents. 

“Each year, you [have] a little bit of the lack of information or you’re going off spring training stats, which don’t carry a whole lotta weight from our standpoint,” Ross told reporters Thursday night after their series finale against the Royals. 

So, it’d be easy to dismiss Willson Contreras’ summer camp performances, where he ripped 4 homers in 9 intrasquad games and a pair of homers in three scrimmage games prior to the season. 

But Contreras proved his summer performances were just the appetizer in the gourmet meal that has been his 2020 season. 

In 45 plate appearances, Contreras has a .963 OPS with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. In 12 games, Contreras has collected hits in 10 games, including in each of the last three games, and collecting multi-hit games in 4 games. 

He’s performed well behind the plate, too. He has 64 putouts this season, including nabbing the Reds’ Nicholas Castellanos and the Royals’ Adalberto Mondesi as they attempted to steal second. 

After clubbing a career-high 24 home runs last season, the Cubs were hoping to see similar offensive outputs from Contreras and they’re getting just that. Improving on his defensive attributes was one his goals and he seems to be exceeding in that category, too.