Today, we stand 80 days away from the Cubs’ Opening Day game March 26 against the Nationals at Wrigley Field.
That’s 11 and a half weeks, which is plenty of time for the Cubs to sign or trade for new players,
and I am reasonably certain they will add one or more such players, even before Spring Training begins (and if you’re counting, we are 46 days from the spring opener Feb. 20 against the White Sox at Sloan Park).
Nevertheless — and honestly, this is really nothing more than a conversation starter — I thought I’d present to you a possible 26-man Cubs roster based on players already on the 40-man, or in the organization. And a reminder that the Cubs’ current 40-man roster has 36 players on it.
Here goes, then.
Catchers (2)
Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly
COMMENT: I don’t think there’s any question about these two.
Infielders (5)
Tyler Austin, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Matt Shaw
COMMENT: Austin essentially takes over the roster spot held in 2025 by Justin Turner.
Outfielders (5)
Kevin Alcántara, Owen Caissie, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki
COMMENT: If Moisés Ballesteros (see below) serves as DH, Suzuki will play a lot of right field. But then, Caissie and Alcántara could do so as well.
Designated hitter (1)
Moisés Ballesteros
COMMENT: Ballesteros, nominally a catcher, really doesn’t belong in that category as (in my view) his catching skills aren’t MLB-ready, so I’m listing him exclusively as a DH — because his bat certainly plays in MLB.
Starting pitchers (5)
Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shōta Imanaga, Colin Rea, Jameson Taillon
COMMENT: Clearly, the Cubs can improve this list by trading for/signing another starter, in which case Rea heads to the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever/swingman. Justin Steele likely starts the year on the 60-day injured list, but could join the rotation by sometime in early June.
Relief pitchers (8)
Ben Brown, Hunter Harvey, Porter Hodge, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb
COMMENT: Names I left off include Javier Assad, Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and Jordan Wicks. All of those pitchers have options, and Assad could start the year at Triple-A Iowa, stretching out to start. Brown could, too, although I think his best use is in the bullpen. Wicks, I believe, has a chance to become (eventually) a reliever in the mold of Thielbar, or maybe even the way the Cubs used Drew Pomeranz last year.
This list is by no means the 26 men who will line up on the third-base line at Wrigley Field March 26. But it’s at least a starting point for discussion. Have at it.
