Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cashner First Rehab Start Stillborn at Salt River Fields

Stephen Cardullo ripped a two-run walk-off double to cap a three-run 9th, as the EXST Diamondbacks rallied to edge the EXST Cubs 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at the Talking Stick Resort, east of Scottsdale, AZ.

Andrew Cashner was scheduled to make his first Extended Spring Training rehab start in today’s game at Talking Stick, but was scratched after warming in the bullpen before the game. Whether this latest setback will significantly delay his return to the mound is not clear at this time, but it certainly is not good news for Cashner or for the Cubs.

With Cashner unavailable, RHP Matt Loosen got the emergency start (he was supposed to “piggyback” with Cashner) and had another fine outing, working three shutout innings, and allowing three hits (two by Diamondbacks IF-OF Wille Bloomquist, who is at Extended Spring Training rehabbing from a hamstring injury) and no walks, while striking out three. RHPs Yao-Lin Wang and Jin-Young Kim followed Loosen and were just as good, as the three Cubs pitchers combined to shut-out the D’backs on six hits and one walk (and 11 strikeouts) through the first eight innings. But RHP Dustin Fitzgerald could not convert the save in the bottom of the 9th, allowing a lead-off four pitch walk, a single, a SH-FC, a WP, and the game-winning two-run double, all without retiring a batter.

The Cubs offense did score two runs, but should have had more. The Cubs loaded ther bases with one out in the top of the 1st but could only score one run (on a ground out), Wes Darvill led-off the top of the 2nd inning with a triple but did not score, and Pin-Chieh Chen led-off the top of the 3rd with a single, and after stealing 2nd base, was thrown-out at the plate trying to score from 2nd on a wild pitch... with no outs. The entire Cubs Player Development staff (Minor League Field Coordinator Dave Bialas and all of the coordinators and instructors) is at Fitch Park this week, so hopefully they can address some of the mental mistakes the EXST Cubs have been making all too frequently lately, on the mound, on the bases, at the plate, and in the field. Cubbery must be nipped in the bud!  

Cubs 2010 2nd round draft pick Reggie Golden went hitless again today (with two strikeouts), and is now 0-20 (with eight strikeouts) since hitting a home run last Tuesday.  

With CF Kyung-Min Na having been moved up to Peoria (after a brief emergency two-game stop this past weekend at AA Tennessee), Pin-Chieh Chen got a chance to play CF today. While Chen struggles defensively in the infield (especially when he played SS for a while last year, but even after moving to 2B), he looks perfectly at home in CF. With his speed and athleticism, playing CF and hitting lead-off could be his future full-time gig. Unfortunately, he is blocked by several more highly-regarded Cub prospects at that position (Na, Szczur, Silva, Ha, and B. Jackson).

And speaking of Peoria, yesterday’s Midwest League transactions listed 1B Ryan Cuneo as being assigned to Peoria from Extended Spring Training (with OF Rubi Silva moving up to Daytona from Peoria, and OF Jae-Hoon Ha getting promoted to AA Tennessee from Daytona), but Cuneo was in the EXST Cubs lineup today (he went 1-4). Perhaps the news of Cuneo’s promotion has not yet reached Mesa.

While rehabbin’ Willie Bloomquist was having a great time, going 3-4 with three singles and a walk in his five plate appearances for the EXST Diamondbacks, Iowa Cubs SS Augie Ojeda continued his rehab with the EXST Cubs, playing 2B for six innings and going 1-3 with a single (ending an 14 PA hitless streak) and two strikeouts (both swinging). So far in four Extended Spring Training games (16 PA), Ojeda has exactly one hit. Ojeda was heard to remark (joking, I think), “This is a tough league!”… WelI, maybe it is when you are Augie Ojeda.

Here is today’s abridged box score (Cubs players only):

LINEUP:
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, CF: 2-3 (BB, 1B, F-7, 3B, SB, 2 R)
2a. Augie Ojeda, 2B: 1-3 (K, 1B, K)
2b. Marco Hernandez, 2B: 0-0 (F-8 SF, RBI)
3. Ryan Cuneo, 1B: 1-4 (1B, L-4, K, F-8)
4. Wilson Contreras, 3B: 1-4 (E-6, F-7, 6-3, 1B)
5. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 0-3 (5-3, HBP, 6-3, F-9, RBI)
6. Reggie Golden, RF: 0-4 (P-2, K, K, 5-3)
7. Wes Darvill, SS: 1-4 (3B, K, 6-3, K)
8. Jesus Morelli, DH: 0-3 (6-3, 4-6 FC, BB, 1-3)
9a. Blair Springfield, LF: 0-3 (5-2 FC, K, F-9, CS)
9b. Gregori Gonzalez, LF: NO AB

PITCHERS:
1. Matt Loosen: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 40 pitches (32 strikes), 3/3 GO/FO
2. Yao-Lin Wang: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 45 pitches (33 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO
3. Jin-Young Kim: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 29 pitches (19 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
4. Dustin Fitzgerald, 0.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 14 pitches (7 strikes)

ERRORS: NONE

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Yaniel Cabezas: 0-1 CS

ATTENDANCE: 6

WEATHER: Sunny and breezy with temperatures in the 80’s

 

Comments

top of first Fukudome K, Barney BB, Castro BB, Ramirez BB, Soriano K, Byrd K

that was fun...much like going on a ferris wheel and falling to your death

How about Darwin Barney? It certainly is early, but I would never have expected him to be starting much less hitting .340+. Not much to be excited about this year at the majors, some good prospects at the minors though some notable struggles (Simpson, for example) and a likelihood that Wilken will not maximize the value of a relatively high pick. But the Castro-Barney combination has certainly been a fun thing to be excited about.

I used to laugh at the Pirates or the Mets for how poorly run their franchises were, all the while forgetting about the teams I grew up watching here. Now we're back to the crappy teams, and with GM/Owner/Manager who don't seem to have a grasp of how to run the team. The only difference is, at least under Wrigley, the teams always sucked because we were the cheapest franchise in the league. Now we have one of the highest payrolls and are still incompetent.

[ ]

In reply to by Rob G.

Byrd's reaction to team meeting “First-year manager, full season starting from the beginning, things don’t go right and we’re not playing up to our capabilities,” Marlon Byrd said. “Enough is enough and you can only watch it for so long. We have to start doing better, starting with myself. The veterans have to step up and it needs to start with me.” looks like the honeymoon is over.

[ ]

In reply to by Paul Noce

If it is Scott Moore, I sure can see why -- .272/.333/.398, 24k in 103 AB, made his 8th error of the season in the game. For a guy who is already 27 years old, he should have been removed from the game to be released, rather than called up. If you want an older player rather than a prospect, why not Brad Snyder, who at least is giving .336/.379/.598 with his significant strikeout total. I am sure Scott Moore's relatively more extensive major league experience is a factor, but I can't imagine that anyone thinks either will be overly productive at the major league level and Snyder's numbers at Iowa at least provide some basis that the promotion is reward for production. Meanwhile, in that Iowa Cubs game tonight, Steve Clevenger continues his strong performance after being called up...2-4 with a triple and HR. He's now 6-17 at Iowa after being called up to allow Castillo to learn from Koyie Hill for 15 days.

I think I'm going to take the rest of the season off and just censure baseball news from my life. They call up a pinch runner with interleague games coming up and the DH needed. This is just...fascinating. It's like watching a train wreck that never ends. Ohh, the horror, the horror.

Same on two butthole computers. I log in. Read new comments, then go back to the homepage. When this happens the 'latest' thread is now Doug Davis's Goose Getting Cooked (or whatever). I click My Account. It says 'access denied'. Click My Account again and 'log out'. Then My Account again and 'log in'. Repeat. What the balls is going on?!

Phil Thanks for this and all your reports. It's a pleasure to have these reports when the parent club licks balls. I was struck by this comment: Unfortunately, he is blocked by several more highly-regarded Cub prospects at that position (Na, Szczur, Silva, Ha, and B. Jackson). How many up the middle prospects do we have to amass before we go after a few mashers? Maybe equally important is how many guys end up getting bigger and move to the corners? It looks like Lemahieu has a chance to do it, but he's not really hitting for a lot of power right now. Maybe Flaherty, too, but more than anything he seems to be moving off of SS. Getting back to CF, I guess we'll all just be happy if Jackson comes up and hits well enough to man CF. We won't be worrying about how to fit Na into the lineup. I just hope they don't play three CFs across the outfield because they don't have corner bats. I guess if they did that with homegrown players I'd be happier than watching these overpaid, underproductive jerks they have now.

"But I agree that he is exactly what this team doesn't need ..." The Cubs have one SB this season not by Castro and Barney, and only six by those two. They have one stolen base by an outfielder (Byrd). Are you sure a center fielder who stole 112 bases the past two seasons isn't something the team could use? If running isn't an issue, why didn't Soriano score on a single to the outfield? Besides, Campana is the one real positional prospect at Iowa. That's what we want to see the Cubs doing, promoting prospects, right? Did we really need to see the latest incarnations of Montanez and Moore?

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

"He's not particularly good at [getting on base]." Campana is a pretty good hitter who has gotten better at every level--unlike the Vitterses and the Flahertys who bump their heads when they're promoted. Campana's OBP was .378 last year and .383 this year. "He'll be on the bench." He can play center or left. I don't think he has the arm for right. Whenever he's on a team, some other centerfielder (Brett Jackson or Fernando Perez) plays right. On my team, he would start ahead of Soriano or Byrd, or he would alternate between left and center. He could see quite a bit of playing time, batting either first or eighth. Quade likes to talk about speed (and the team's lack of it), so now is his chance to do something about it.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Campana is a pretty good hitter who has gotten better at every level--unlike the Vitterses and the Flahertys who bump their heads when they're promoted. Campana's OBP was .378 last year and .383 this year. Campana had a BABIP of .382 last year and it's .423 this year. Here's a list of major league hitters who maintian that level of BABIP: (null) Ichiro, who was extremely fast, and now is just very fast, sprays the ball around and hits line drives (20% compared to 15% for Campana) the three keys to haveing a high BABIP has a career BABIP of .356. Not only are major league pitchers better, but the fielders are a lot better, which means if you're in the majors by virtue of a high BABIP, you're in trouble. When you're striking out 85 times and not hitting any home runs, you're not a "pretty good hitter". Remember Ced Landrum? He was a better hitter than Campana.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Ichiro has struck out 70 times a year, on average, in the majors. Byrd is a singles hitter who struck out 98 times last season. (He's the guy I want Campana to replace.) How do you know that Campana doesn't spray the ball around and hit line drives? You don't know anything about him except his BABIP, which isn't much. Most of the time you're just blowing smoke with your stats. That's about what they're good for. Take away a guy's strikeouts, and yeah, his BABIP goes up. Campana is hitting .342, so if you take away his strikeouts it goes to .423. Sure, that's high, and hard to maintain--but so is a .342 BA. How about giving me a null list of major-league hitters who maintain that level of BA? If all you're saying is that Campana won't maintain a .342 BA in the majors, or over the course of a season in AAA, thanks, but I didn't need a sabre-metrician to tell me that.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Maybe you should do a google search for "BABIP definition" before you start pointing out flaws in my logic. FYR, if you take away a guy's strikeouts, it doesn't change his BABIP at all. Let's just go way out on a limb and assume that Tony Campana won't be joining Ichiro in the Hall of Fame. Say he is able to maintain a .330 BABIP, still a very good number (better than the .314 of Juan Pierre, for example). If you adjust his stats this year to a BABIP of .330, his hitting line in Iowa is .267/.304/.367 (assuming he only loses singles on the slugging, which, of course is a generous assumption). Marlon Byrd, as terrible as he has been has managed to go for .316 .345 .392 in the majors, ie a lot better than Campana.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

"FYR, if you take away a guy's strikeouts, it doesn't change his BABIP at all." I phrased it poorly. If you take away a guy's strikeouts, you get his BABIP. Campana doesn't hit home runs. The point is that all you are really saying is that his BA can't be maintained. Why not just say that? I agree that Campana is not a .340 hitter in the minors, and certainly not in the majors. "Tony Campana won't be joining Ichiro in the Hall of Fame." Really, Neal--as if I'm the one who had the idea of comparing Campana to Ichiro. Byrd: 73 home runs in 9 seasons (leaving out a handful of at-bats in 2002). What kind of hitter is he? I know you don't like him at #3. Where do you like him? What role does he perform in the lineup? Is there a name for that role? Is he a run producer? Is he an on-base guy? Campana is a leadoff hitter. A list of starting players in the NL who have a similar skillset to Campana's would include Torres, Bourne, Theriot, Fowler and Pagan.

[ ]

In reply to by VirginiaPhil

Sorry, I am trying to empathize here, but no. Campana is a leadoff hitter. A list of starting players in the NL who have a similar skillset to Campana's would include Torres, Bourne, Theriot, Fowler and Pagan. I just showed you what a luck neutralized line for Campana at AAA is - it's .267/.304/.367 (.671 OPS) That's what he's is going to do in the major leagues, if he doesn't K more than he does in AAA and maintains a BABIP that probably 2% of major league hitters can manage. Those guys you listed have OPS's of .762, .680, .703, .749 and .757. Only Bourn is close to what Campana has done in AAA, and he's faster as well as a legitimate gold glove center fielder not to mention he has yet to register a 100 run season, despite the advantage of speed and lineup position. I think Byrd is a 4th outfielder, but that is two slots above what Tony Campana legitimately should aspire to. Byrd had 82 doubles across two full seasons (to go with 32 HR's). It would take Campana about 4 years to match that doubles total, and if he played in the big leagues until he was 40 he's unlikely to match those home runs.

if tony campana & the i-cub batboy appeared in street clothes in a police lineup the eyewitness would be uncertain as to which of the boys put the sack of flaming dogshit on her porch, rang the bell & ran; he makes sam fuld look like methusaleh & better pack his id...can dejesus break ww's record for executions @ the plate? do they track #'s of runners thrown out @ home? cubs gotta lead the league in that - every time they try to break out of the 4 singles = 1 run formula & advance somebody 2 bases in one gulp they get reminded of why, for them, 4 singles = 1 run...

I worried that injury issues could happen with a stretch from the pen to the rotation with Cashner. Is it too soon to shift him back and just let him be a reliever? Is this going to be a Samjay 2.0 where the organization has too much money invested to let a reliever just be a reliever?

Probably nothing here that hasn't already been pointed out, but here are my impressions from last night's game in Cincy: * Cold. * The game felt lost when Mateo entered, even though the Cubs had a lead. The guy needs to be taken back behind the barn and put down. It's only the humane thing to do. I mean Ricketts is so confused by why people aren't showing up... are you even watching the games, Tom? * The Cubs looked way way over-matched. The Reds lineup is good top to bottom. They have an infield that can play the ball very well and reliably (a novel concept, I know... but god could you imagine the hand wringing and whining if the Cubs got a guy like Renteria? wahh wahhh... he only hits .250 wahhh...). They have a bullpen that has effective relievers. Simply put- The better team won last night. * The number of empty seats at GAB is a damn shame considering the team Cincy put together. * I had the pleasure of sitting next to some other cub fans who were equally as annoyed and jaded as I am. * There was at least one very drunk Cincy fan yelling racist unpleasantries at Fuku last night. I guess it's not surprising for the midwest, but don't let anyone tell you that only Cub fans are obnoxious when drunk. * Did I mention it was cold?

assuming colvin regains stroke @ iowa...what are chances byrd can be moved @ deadline so fuku can play cf rest of year & open rf for colvin before b. jackson takes cf next year when we shed aram [quarter into season & he has half the homers colvin does; tied w/ the dreadful hill]& fuku, add the prince & still reduce payroll again? favorite team has become the type i most hate - slow, fat, weak & stupid...

RF Fukudome, 2B Barney, SS Castro, 3B Ramirez, 1B Pena, CF Byrd, LF Soriano, C Castillo, P Garza vs. Stubbs CF, Janish SS, Votto 1B, Phillips 2B, Bruce RF, Rolen 3B, Lewis LF, Hernandez C, Volquez P

Maine up along with Campana via Witty

Recent comments

  • Cubster (view)

    I blame Jason Schmidt’s 3/44

  • Craig A. (view)

    Was all that stuff with the Blue Jays just to squeeze an extra $10 million/yr out of the Dodgers?  It's more than enough to cover his California income taxes!

  • crunch (view)

    unless he pitches into his late-30 that is gonna sting.  a 70m DH...ow.

    it's great to take care of 2 roster spots in 1 player, and i'm sure the team will cut into the pay with the amount of merch/etc he can sell just by being attached to the team....but yeah, i'm not mad the cubs didn't go that extreme.

  • WebAdmin (view)

    Shohei Ohtani to join Dodgers according to ESPN. 10 years for $700 m
  • Cubster (view)

    I'm getting the feeling that Todd Walker might be a Shaw comp. A valuable hit first player but limited albeit not awful on defense. Hopefully, he has more upside. Not a bad floor if Steve Garvey is his ceiling.

  • Wrigley Rat (view)

    AZ Phil - If that's the level of return, I would want NO part of that trade to Cleveland for Clase and Bieber. I have some faith that the Cubs have a strong plan for which prospects they will keep (even if they dangle them in trade talks) and which they will move, because they have plenty of solid prospects they can trade but they shouldn't be trading any of the ones they hope will be future core players. Some guys are redundant, so I hope they choose the right players to keep and the right players to move. It's always important for a team to know its own minor league players better than scouts from other teams (obviously), but I don't think that's always been the case for the Cubs and many other clubs. 

    Cubster - I watched an interview with Carter Hawkins a couple days ago where he said that although Morel hasn't gotten into any Dominican games at 1B, the Cubs did send coaches down with Morel to work on first base skills during practice. So he is developing those skills, whether the Cubs end up using him there or not will probably be dependent on a lot of factors including how those coaches think he looks at the position while training. 

  • tim815 (view)

    He could still play SS at Double-A, but Vazquez, Hoerner, and Swanson are much better defensively, arm strength or not. I'd be good leaving Shaw at SS with McGeary and Ballesteros around, but by the first of June (?), 1B might make sense in DM.

  • crunch (view)

    i have no reason to see a problem, it just seems like it's his most obvious reason to give pause on him at 1st.

    the cubs situation dictates 2nd/SS isn't an option.  his arm dictates 3rd isn't an option.  1st or CF seems to be his best path and he's only played CF in summer ball back in highschool/college...and of course PCA is a better + closer to the bigs CF.

    it's a lot safer to say he's made for 1st than it is he's made for 3rd.  even as a SS his arm is weak, and it's not like his glove is so great he needs to stay in the middle-IF.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CRUNCH: Steve Garvey (one of Shaw's comps as a hitter) was a 5'10 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Jeff Bagwell (another Shaw comp) was a 6'0 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Carlos Santana (who played 1B for Counsell in Milwaukee last season and is an above-average defensive first-baseman) is 5'11. It's not like Shaw is 5'7 or 5'8. I don't really see the problem. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CUBSTER: It's not that Matt Shaw can't play SS (or 2B). Shaw was a SS his last two years in college at Maryland and apparently was OK defensively. It's just that there are certain throws a big league SS has to make (the backhand / flat-foot throw from deep in the 5.5 hole and the leap & change direction throw after fielding a ball up the middle after ranging to his left) that you might not see every game. So while he might appear to be passable at SS, over time the below-average arm at SS will catch up with the player and cost the team runs. 

    Shaw is a good fielder so he could play SS (like Ryan Theriot did) and you would just live with the below-average arm strength that would rear its ugly head every now & again, because he is a plus-plus hitter. But the Cubs have Dansby Swanson locked-in at SS through 2029, so Shaw won't be playing there even if he were to improve his arm strength and remake his throwing mechanics.  

    As far as second-base is concerned, that would seem to be Shaw's best position, because the position requires a plus-glove but not a plus-arm. Nico Hoerner is presently the Cubs' 2B and is signed through 2026 (although he does NOT have "no trade" rights, so he could be traded at any time). So Shaw could move to 2B in 2027 after Hoerner's contract expires (presuming Hoerner does not sign another extension in the meantime), or the Cubs could preemptively trade Hoerner at some point prior to the conclusion of the 2026 season and install Shaw at 2B before 2027. 

    The thing is, the Cubs have three other prospects who also project as second-basemen, including Top 10 prospect James Triantos, Top 10 prospect Jefferson Rojas, and Top 30 prospect Pedro Ramirez. So while Shaw could very well eventually be the Cubs second-baseman, there are other legit candidates who could eventually take-over the position after Hoerner departs. But for second-base to open up before 2027, Hoerner has to be traded.  

    As far as third-base is concerned, the Cubs already have a Top 15 prospect (B. J. Murray) who plays 3B and plays it well, and he should be considered the Cubs third-baseman of the future (possibly as soon as sometime during the 2024 season). Also, I don't think that Christopher Morel has the "touch" required to play 3B (he is an athletic and rangy player who plays like the proverbial "Bull in a China Shop" or like a point guard who plays too fast and turns the ball over too much), while Shaw simply does not appear to have the arm strength required to play 3B. It is true that Nick Madrigal has made himself into an above-average defensive-third baseman, but I would not be too quick to generalize and say that because Madrigal did it, that anybody can do it. Also, 3B requires different perception, reaction, and tracking skills than does SS and 2B (which is why a lot of catchers can often play 3B fairly well), so not all middle infielders can play 3B well-enough to be an MLB-regular at the position. 

    The one position that is wide-open on the Chicago Cubs going forward is 1st base. Matt Shaw is a plus-fielder with a below-average arm but with a plus-plus bat, so he could be a fit at 1st base. Sort of like Padres first-baseman Jake Cronenworth, but Shaw has a higher ceiling as a hitter. If the Cubs were to move Shaw to 1st base in Spring Training 2024 and presuming he is able to play the position without difficulty, he could be in Chicago by the end of the 2024 season. I understand why the Cubs might think about Christopher Morel as a possible first-baseman because they want to get his power into the lineup any way they can, but Morel's two best attributes are HR power and raw arm strength. He is a rangy infielder (not needed at 1st base) with a plus-arm (also not needed at 1st base), but he also doesn't have the "flyhawk" skills needed to play CF. Morel's best position would be LF, but Ian Happ is firmly ensconced there (with a full "no trade") through 2026, which makes Morel a prime trade chip to be used to acquire pitching (or maybe a catcher).  

    As far as Matt Chapman is concerned, I would hope the Cubs don't sign him. It's not just losing the draft pick (Chapman got a QO from the Jays) or that he blocks B. J. Murray long-term, because that wouldn't matter if Chapman is still the hitter he was earlier in his career. But after a red-hot April last year he fell off the table at the plate the last five months. Granted he is a Gold Glove-quality defender at 3B, but you're essentially getting Patrick Wisdom offensively, and so he is not worth the financial investment (money & years) and losing a draft pick on top of it if you sign him. 

    If the Cubs don't sign Ohtani, Yakamoto, or Bellinger (and I am becoming increasingly pessimistic that they can), I would hope that they will sign position player free agents only to one year deals (with maybe a second year option) that can be easily moved at the Trade Deadline, and then get ready to unleash the youth (PCA, Shaw, Caissie, Ballesteros, Murray, et al) in 2025 (or perhaps even over the last two months of the 2024 season, if the Cubs are not in contention). 

    As for possible free agents the Cubs might target, Brandon Belt and Carlos Santana (who played for Craig Counsell in Milwaukee last season) would provide some LH power at 1B & DH (Santana is an above-average defensive first-baseman, and Belt still hits RHP very well).  

    I can see the Cubs maybe acquiring a pitcher like Tyler Glasnow in a trade and then signing him to an extension (Glasnow has the same agency representation as Kyle Hendricks, so an extension should be possible), which would not be the case with Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease (both are Boras clients).   

    I think in part because of the Carter Hawkins connection with Cleveland, even more-likely than a trade for Glasnow might be a trade for SP Shane Bieber (a post-2024 FA but as a Rosenhaus client he should be open to signing an extension) and closer Emmanuel Clase (signed through 2026 with club options both in 2027 and 2028). The Guardians need power hitters and the Cubs have Christopher Morel, although Morel would not be anywhere near enough to get both Bieber and Clase (or to get Glasnow if the trade is with the Rays). If the trade is with Cleveland for Bieber and Clase, the Cubs would probably have to give up some combination of Christopher Morel, Owen Caissie, Moises Ballestereos, Kevin Alcantara, Jefferson Rojas, and/or James Triantos (probably three from that group), one Top 10 pitching prospect like Ben Brown or Jackson Ferris, and an MLB-ready reliever with closer potential like Daniel Palencia or Luke Little.