3 Cubs prospects who would benefit most from a Cody Bellinger opt-out

We won't get official word until early November, but a recent report indicates Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger is 'leaning toward' opting out of the remaining two years on his deal and heading back to free agency.

Bellinger inked a three-year, $80 million deal with player opt-outs after 2024 and 2025 this spring after his last foray into free agency lasted until the end of February. Despite a resurgent 2023 campaign in Chicago that culminated in his winning NL Comeback Player of the Year honors, teams remained wary of giving him the nine-figure, long-term deal he sought.

That brought him back to the Cubs and set up the current situation. If Bellinger opts into the second year of his deal, this roster is largely locked in across the board. But if he leaves, he frees up nearly $30 million in additional payroll and gives Jed Hoyer a little more wiggle room as he looks to shake up this roster.

Assuming Bellinger is penciled in as the right fielder should he return, Chicago could give some of its top prospects some runway in 2025 as his potential replacement. Here are three with the most to gain should he instead opt out.

Owen Caissie stands to gain the most among Cubs prospects

Owen Caissie, the Cubs' second-ranked prospect and the #34 overall according to MLB Pipeline, has little left to prove in the minors. At Triple-A this year, the 21-year-old outfielder slashed .278/.375/.473 with 29 doubles and 19 home runs. That follows up a big 2023 showing at Double-A Tennessee, when he posted a .918 OPS in 120 contests.

Handing Caissie (or any prospect) the starting job comes with risk. We saw the growing pains that Pete Crow-Armstrong worked through in the first half before settling in at the plate late in the year. Given what's at stake for Chicago in 2025, that plan of attack seems unnecessarily high-risk.

But letting Caissie get reps as your everyday fourth outfielder could help him get his feet under him at the big-league level, laying the groundwork for him to take the reins from, as an example, Ian Happ, after his deal ends in 2026.