Local Chicago Cubs insiders offer revealing Cody Bellinger prediction

Often times when Jed Hoyer is addressing the state of affairs for the Chicago Cubs, there is a need to read between the lines.

That is what many have been doing since Hoyer addressed Cody Bellinger's player option decision last week. Hoyer defended the season that Bellinger had despite there being a regression in his power numbers and the main takeaway was that the Cubs' President of Baseball Operations may be planning, if not, hoping that Bellinger opts out of his current contract with the Cubs.

If Bellinger does elect for free agency, that would free up $52.5MM in financial flexibility over the next two seasons. That flexibility is believed to be the main reason why many suspect that the Cubs want Bellinger to elect for free agency.

That was the prediction made by Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma in their latest episode of the North Side Territory podcast. Both Sharma and Mooney suspect that Bellinger will elect for free agency and if he does, the Cubs won't be inclined to re-engage in contract talks like they did last season.

What's next for the Cubs if Cody Bellinger elects for free agency?

While conventional wisdom would be that the Cubs would look for a power bat to replace Bellinger if he does leave via free agency, the takeaway from the podcast is that the main reason why the team may want Bellinger to leave is to open a spot for Owen Caissie. Caissie, one of several Cubs' prospects in MLB Pipeline's Top 100, has the potential to be the left-handed power hitter that the Cubs have been missing since Anthony Rizzo was traded.

There certainly is risk involved in that scenario. The 2025 season is one where the Cubs will have the expectation of reaching the postseason in order to avoid sweeping changes in the front office. Given that expectation, hinging the offensive success on a player who has yet to have a plate appearance at the Major League level could be a recipe for disaster. But it's also an unavoidable risk, considering the Cubs have reached the point where their top prospects need to be a part of the equation for success at the Major League level.