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At this point in the winter, the Chicago Cubs are largely focused on bench and depth pieces to round out the mix heading into spring training. There are still some notable names available in free agency - but it feels like the bulk of the heavy lifting is complete.
On Thursday, Chicago reportedly added another name to the mix, bringing longtime Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick in on a minor-league deal that includes an invite to big-league camp. Chicago's bench isn't set in stone just yet and the 30-year-old will look to force his way into the team's plans.
The Chicago Cubs are signing outfielder Chas McCormick to a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to major-league camp, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) January 22, 2026
Outfielder Chas McCormick could crack the Cubs' Opening Day roster
He's just a few years removed from an impressive 3.4 bWAR campaign in Houston where everything seemed to go right. McCormick slashed .273/.353/.489 that year, hitting 22 home runs and driving in 70 in what is undoubtedly the best season of his MLB career.
Over the last two years, though, he's struggled a great deal, slashing just .211/.273/.301. It wasn't just the baseball card numbers that looked bad, either. Baseball Savant didn't like anything he brought to the table in 2025 - but in 2024, metrics were high on his outfield defense (5 OAA).
Thinking through the Cubs' projected bench mix, the odd man out if McCormick plays well this spring could be outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara, who, even now, has a very unclear path to regular playing time. It's somewhat surprising Alcantara wasn't moved this winter given the team's outfield mix, but that does seem likely to clear up, at least marginally, with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki both set to hit free agency this fall.
Best-case scenario: McCormick and his former Astros teammate, Alex Bregman, reunite in Chicago and he gets things turned around. Chicago desperately needs a few names from the collection of minor-league pick-ups to turn heads and solidify the bench mix in 2026 - and this is a guy who showed he can put it all together before a series of injuries stopped him in his tracks the last two years.