Cubs need to trade so they can play their elite prospects |
Now that Cody Bellinger has decided not to use his opt-out clause and will be under contract with the Cubs for 2025, it appears more clear than ever that the Cubs need to make a roster move. Their roster is now overcrowded with players, with little to no avenues for improvement after a disappointing 2024 campaign.
The re-emergence of Bellinger into this offseason’s plans now means that the Cubs can return their entire regular lineup from 2024. Ian Happ LF - under contract through 2026 - no-trade clause Seiya Suzuki DH - under contract through 2026 - no-trade clause Cody Bellinger RF - under contract through 2026 with opt-out after 2025 Michael Busch 1B - under team control through 2029 Isaac Paredes 3B - under team control through 2027 Dansby Swanson SS - under contract through 2029 Nico Hoerner 2B - under contract through 2026 Pete Crow-Armstrong CF - under team control through 2029 Miguel Amaya C - under team control through 2029 A team that has had its entire lineup under control for 3+ seasons, combined with a top-ranked farm system, would typically mean that the organization is in good shape. However, the Cubs have won just 83 games in each of the last two seasons and missed the postseason in each year. Entering this offseason, the Cubs know one thing: this team isn’t good enough. This sets up to be an ever-important offseason as the Cubs look to improve and build toward a successful future. However, with nine regular position players under contract or control — how can the Cubs expect to improve? Highly ranked prospects like Owen Caissie, Matt Shaw, James Triantos, Moises Ballesteros, Alexander Canario, and Kevin Alcantara could help — but how could they find playing time on a team built this way? If the Cubs do nothing this offseason, all nine hitting positions are accounted for, which means these prospects would have to count on injuries to get time at the big league level. While any number of these players could end up being All-Stars or raise the ceiling on the 2025 Cubs, the path they can take to get regular at-bats seems uncertain. Not to mention, as we saw with Pete Crow-Armstrong in 2024, the Cubs won’t commit to a prospect until regular, everyday at-bats are available. So it seems that even to create wiggle room for a prospect of Shaw or Caissie’s caliber to play in the big leagues in 2025, a trade from the regular everyday lineup needs to occur. That doesn’t even consider the fact that the Cubs need to add a star to their lineup. With Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Teoscar Hernandez, Alex Bregman, and Willy Adames available via Free Agency and Vlad Guerrero Jr., Brent Rooker, Bo Bichette, and others rumored to be available via trade — many expect the Cubs to be in the conversation for any number of those star-caliber players. For that to come true, the Cubs would have to make an additional move just to free up room in their lineup for a player like Soto or Alonso or Rooker, or anybody else. The Winter meetings and GM meetings should be telling of the route that the Cubs will want to go. Early offseason reports indicate that Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes might be out of the Cubs’ price range regarding big-ticket free agents, but that could point to the Cubs making a splash via trade. Would that mean trading MLB talent in order to make room? Could that mean dealing from a deep pool of prospects to shore up the big league roster? Could it be both? All of these questions will be answered in the coming months, and the Cubs should have a busy offseason.
