2 Cubs who deserve an Opening Day roster spot, 2 who lost one during spring training

A month remains before Opening Day, and it's been a quiet spring training for the Chicago Cubs. Short of an injury to Tyler Austin, things have been status quo for the Cubs, and it's largely tied to a bulk of their Opening Day roster spots already being determined. The Cubs have an opening for the final two spots on the bench, and there's also a matter of figuring out the final slots in the bullpen.

Through the first month of spring training, there have been players who have set themselves apart in terms of earning an Opening Day roster spot. There have also been others who may have lost a spot.

2 Cubs players who deserve an Opening Day roster spot

Ben Brown

One of the larger storylines of the 2026 season is figuring out Ben Brown's role. Brown has been candid when speaking about his struggles last year, and he's using that as motivation to carve out a defined role this year.

Brown has looked terrific through his early run in spring training. He's thrown four scoreless innings while striking out over 40% of the hitters he faced. It's a small sample size, certainly, but it speaks to the value that Brown could have as a bulk-inning guy out of the bullpen. Helping his cause is the development of a third pitch.

Dylan Carlson

Given the injury to Austin, there's now a strong chance that two from the group of Dylan Carlson, Michael Conforto, and Chas McCormick make the Opening Day roster.

Conforto has a strong chance to make the roster, considering his track record, and Carlson may be the favorite to land the final spot on the bench. The former St. Louis Cardinals top prospect has 8 hits in his first 23 plate appearances this spring, and his ability to play all three outfield spots works in his favor. Being a switch-hitter also helps.

2 Cubs players who lost an Opening Day roster spot during spring training

Kevin Alcantara

The Cubs were encouraged by Kevin Alcantara's attitude at the start of spring training, but he may not be ready for a spot on the major league bench. There's also value to having Alcantara play regularly with the Iowa Cubs, and iron out some of the development warts that popped up during spring training.

Notably, Alcantara had three baserunning gaffes during a recent spring training workout, resulting in Craig Counsell issuing a warning to players about repeated mistakes on the bases. Not to mention, he's struck out in 5 of his 11 plate appearances during spring training.

Ryan Rolison

Ryan Rolison was among a handful of veterans the Cubs brought in on a minor-league deal, hoping that one would stick to be this year's version of Brad Keller. The 28-year-old caught the attention of Craig Counsell early in camp, but his latest outing was a six-run effort against the Cincinnati Reds. The outing likely doesn't eliminate him from the competition for a spot in the bullpen, but it may have put him firmly behind Brown.