Former Cubs bust from Craig Kimbrel trade resurfaces with Angels

With the Chicago Cubs having an established starting infield of Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Alex Bregman, and Dansby Swanson through at least the 2029 season, Chicago Cubs fans may have forgotten that Nick Madrigal was once expected to be the team's long-term answer at second base.

The former first-round pick was one of the key pieces the Cubs received from the Chicago White Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade in 2021, and the belief from the Cubs was that his hit tool could bring a different look to the starting lineup. Unfortunately, the same shortcomings Madrigal had with the White Sox were also present during his time with the Cubs. There was no slug in his offensive profile, and injuries limited to him under 100 games in each of the three years he spent with the Cubs.

Madrigal's final year with the Cubs, 2024, also represented the last time he was in the majors before he had his contract selected by the Los Angeles Angels earlier this week. In 94 plate appearances with the Cubs in 2024, Madrigal slashed .221/.280/.256 with a wRC+ of 56.

Nick Madrigal is still around?

If we're being honest, and partially biased because of how exhausting it was to watch Madrigal play with the Cubs, it was an odd decision by the Angels. LA very much is a team that should be planning for their future, and it doesn't make sense for Madrigal to be getting any playing time of consequence. Especially when Angels' 2024 first-round pick, Christian Moore, seems to be ready for another look at the major league level.

For as bad as the Cubs looked during their 10-game losing streak, Madrigal returning to the majors with the Angels is a reminder of how far Jed Hoyer's roster construction has come. No longer is Hoyer simply wish-casting when putting together the roster. With the arrival of Bregman, and ascensions of players like Hoerner and Busch, there's expectation hovering around the Cubs this season.

It remains to be seen if the Cubs are going to live up to those expectations, but it's clear that the roster is certainly better than the one that last had Madrigal on it.

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