Kyle Tucker's arrival cements a renewed excitement for the Cubs Convention

Last year, around this time, the Cubs Convention was beginning to look bleak. The Chicago Cubs were one of the last teams to ink a major league contract until signing Shota Imanaga on January 9 and trading for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte just a few days later. Imanaga would endear himself as an instant fan favorite during the event, and Craig Counsell would make his first impression as the new manager, but everyone was hoping for more chips to be pushed in by that point after their 83-win performance finished just shy of the playoffs.

Entering 2025, however, the outlook couldn't be more different. The team has been proactive with their wheeling and dealing for once, adding Matthew Boyd, Eli Morgan, and Carson Kelly before Christmas. Biggest of all, however, was their deal for Astros star outfielder Kyle Tucker, a game-changing move that has improved the entire tenor of the offseason. He'll now look to make a good first impression on attendees at the Sheraton Grand Chicago, as the team has officially confirmed he'll be in attendance for the convention beginning on January 17.

Under Jed Hoyer, this Cubs team hasn't brought in a player of Tucker's caliber until now, nor have they seemed particularly close to doing so. He's coming off a season in which he seemed destined for true superstardom with a .289/.408/.559 slash line and 180 wRC+ until a shin fracture limited him to 78 games. That kind of talent has been a rarity on the North Side outside of Kris Bryant's 2016 MVP season, Derrek Lee's 2005, or even the heights of Sammy Sosa's career.

Tucker's presence in the middle of the lineup makes this team a far more potent offensive threat while signaling to fans that the time is now for this team to jumpstart itself into contention and take advantage of a weak division. It's enough that beloved radio voice Pat Hughes compared him to Jon Lester for the kind of impact he could have. Perhaps the greatest impact the trade made, however, is shifting the vibes. Cubs fans have reason to get legitimately excited about this team again without having to squint at the roster and bank on beating projections.

Even if he's only around for one season, every season is precious and fans are due for a chance to watch a star light up Wrigley Field. That impact will first be felt at CubsCon, which already brings plenty of excitement as a sort of unofficial beginning of baseball season for fans. It'll be an opportunity for everyone to get to know Tucker and brace for what will be, if nothing else, one of the most interesting years of Cubs baseball in recent memory.

This year's Cubs Convention could be one for the ages

While Tucker will be a highlight in terms of active players, he's only one reason this could be an all-time iteration of the convention. For years, fans have waited for Slammin' Sammy and Tom Ricketts to make good and their wish was finally answered this winter. Sosa issued a public apology, which finally satisfied the Cubs chairman's long-held desire for the beloved slugger to take accountability for his alleged use of steroids.

Sosa's statement also earned him an invitation to Cubs Convention, albeit on short notice. If he can make it, this could be a year to remember for fans. Between a new superstar and the potential of finally celebrating a franchise hero, the vibes are strong heading into a pivotal season for the organization.