{"id":144680,"date":"2026-01-24T12:51:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T12:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=144680"},"modified":"2026-01-24T12:51:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T12:51:01","slug":"cubs-add-veteran-outfielder-who-could-shake-up-spring-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=144680","title":{"rendered":"Cubs Add Veteran Outfielder Who Could Shake Up Spring Competition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/files.fanbeat.win\/art\/nqQq1owPPrd7.avif\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">IMAGE: Imagn Images<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Cubs made a quiet but potentially meaningful move this week, signing veteran outfielder Chas McCormick to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. It\u2019s the kind of late-offseason addition that tends to fly under the radar &#8211; a depth piece, a bench bat, a contingency plan.<\/p>\n<p>But don\u2019t let the modest contract fool you. This move speaks to two priorities the Cubs are clearly focused on as they prepare for the 2026 season: outfield depth and roster flexibility.<\/p>\n<p>On paper, the Cubs\u2019 active roster looks fairly set, especially in the outfield. But dig a little deeper, and you\u2019ll see why McCormick\u2019s arrival makes sense.<\/p>\n<p>Center field is a particularly delicate spot. Pete Crow-Armstrong is locked in as the starter, but behind him?<\/p>\n<p>Things get a little thin. The Cubs did claim Justin Dean off waivers earlier this offseason &#8211; the 29-year-old got a brief taste of the majors with the Dodgers last year and is expected to open the season in Triple-A Iowa.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/migration\/2022\/11\/09\/JFMFKE2PTVGXPJ4WFKOTB5KWSM.jpg?w=1024&amp;h=670\" alt=\"Why the Chicago Cubs restructured their hitting coach setup on the  big-league staff \u2014 plus updates on Willson Contreras' and Drew Smyly's  futures \u2013 Chicago Tribune\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Kevin Alcantara is also in the mix, currently penciled in as a bench option, but his role is far from guaranteed.<\/p>\n<p>Enter McCormick, a right-handed hitter with big-league experience and a track record that suggests he could be more than just a spring training body. While the deal is of the minor league variety, make no mistake: McCormick will have a legitimate shot to break camp with the big-league club. His most direct competition appears to be Alcantara, but Tyler Austin &#8211; another depth option &#8211; isn\u2019t a lock either.<\/p>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s be honest: the last two years haven\u2019t been kind to McCormick. Injuries have derailed his momentum and limited his production.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, he missed nearly a month with a hamstring strain, then fractured his right hand in September, cutting his season short. The following year, a left oblique strain sidelined him from late May through the All-Star break.<\/p>\n<p>When he returned, he struggled at the plate, posting a 39 wRC+ over 63 plate appearances and eventually getting sent down to Triple-A at the end of August. After the season, the Astros removed him from their 40-man roster, and McCormick chose free agency rather than accept a Triple-A assignment.<\/p>\n<p>The numbers from those two seasons paint a tough picture:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2024: .211\/.271\/.306, 65 wRC+, 5 HR in 267 plate appearances<\/li>\n<li>2025: .210\/.279\/.290, 62 wRC+, 1 HR in 116 plate appearances<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s not the kind of production that earns you a guaranteed roster spot. But if you believe health was the main culprit &#8211; and not a permanent decline &#8211; there\u2019s reason for optimism.<\/p>\n<p>From 2021 through 2023, McCormick was a steady contributor in Houston. Over that three-year stretch, he hit .259\/.336\/.449 with a 120 wRC+ across 342 games.<\/p>\n<p>He launched 50 home runs during that span, including a breakout 2023 campaign where he posted a .273\/.353\/.489 slash line, 22 homers, 19 stolen bases, and a 132 wRC+ in 115 games.<\/p>\n<p>That version of McCormick &#8211; the one who hit for power, got on base, and played above-average defense &#8211; is exactly the kind of fourth outfielder contenders covet. He brings experience, versatility, and a history of producing when healthy. And for the Cubs, who are trying to balance development with contention, that\u2019s valuable.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also a strategic angle here. Alcantara is still working through some swing-and-miss issues and hasn\u2019t had a clean bill of health in the minors.<\/p>\n<p>If he\u2019s not going to get regular playing time in Chicago, it may be better to have him playing every day in Iowa rather than sitting on the bench behind Crow-Armstrong. McCormick, meanwhile, is better suited for a part-time role.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s been there before, knows how to stay ready, and can handle all three outfield spots defensively.<\/p>\n<p>Of all the minor league deals the Cubs have handed out this offseason, McCormick\u2019s may be the most intriguing. He\u2019s not just a depth piece &#8211; he\u2019s a legitimate candidate to make the Opening Day roster. If he can stay healthy and even approximate his 2021-23 form, the Cubs might\u2019ve found a low-risk, high-reward solution to their outfield depth question.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IMAGE: Imagn Images &nbsp; The Cubs made a quiet but potentially meaningful move this week, signing veteran outfielder Chas McCormick to a minor league deal with an&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":144682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Cubs Add Veteran Outfielder Who Could Shake Up Spring Competition - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=144680\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cubs Add Veteran Outfielder Who Could Shake Up Spring Competition - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"IMAGE: Imagn Images &nbsp; 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