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Huge Cubs prospect bust draws one step closer to long-awaited MLB debut

He's just one step away from the big leagues.
Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Chicago Cubs fans needn't be reminded of the promise - and disappointment - that accompanied Brennen Davis' time in the organization. A former top-100 talent, Davis just never could stay healthy, eventually leading to Jed Hoyer moving on from him at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Davis spent the 2025 season with the New York Yankees organization, again battling injuries, limited to just 50 contests. He latched on with the Seattle Mariners this spring, turning heads in Arizona with big-time numbers. Ultimately, it wasn't enough to earn an Opening Day roster spot, but he's drawing ever closer to getting the call after the M's selected him to the 40-man and optioned him to Triple-A.

The former second-round pick didn't slow down once the regular season started. On the year with Tacoma, Davis owns a robust .281/.394/.548 slash line across 38 contests. His performance has him just one injury away from getting his first crack at the big leagues. He spent parts of four seasons at Triple-A Iowa during his time with the Cubs, but never got the call.

Cubs were right to move on from Brennen Davis, despite his potential

It's awesome to see Davis back on a 40-man roster and, hopefully, that means we all get to see him live out his dream soon. It felt like one bad blow after another when he was a highly-touted Cubs prospect health-wise and there's never been any question about his ability when healthy.

Nobody can fault the front office for cutting ties with Davis when they did. At some point, you have to be able to project what you have and plan for the future and they never were able to do that. But still just 26, if he can stay on the field, perhaps the future - which has swung between bright and bleak for years - will still prove fruitful for this former Cubs farmhand.

Looking past 2026, Chicago has some legitimate outfield questions with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki both set to hit free agency. One potential replacement, Matt Shaw, is once again being mentioned in trade rumors - so I'm sure there will be plenty of folks playing 'what if' if Davis can finally make an impact in the bigs. Even so, it's a move that had to be made.

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