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3 arbitration-eligible Cubs who will definitely be back with the team in 2025
Chicago has 14 players eligible for arbitration, but only a handful are sure to return.
Several familiar faces seem destined for the chopping block this winter, with 14 Chicago Cubs players arbitration-eligible. While we won't get a resolution on those for another month or so, we can safely speculate how the front office will proceed with many of these cases.
Guys like Nick Madrigal, Patrick Wisdom and Adbert Alzolay could be with new teams come spring, and there are discussions to be had for the other guys on the list, as well. But three of the 13 seem like locks to be back with the team in 2025 - so let's get into it.
Gritty left-hander Justin Steele is ready to lead the Cubs rotation
Injuries cost him some time this year, but when he was on the mound, Justin Steele showed that his breakout 2023 performance was no fluke. His replicated the numbers from the year prior, almost down to the decimal, shaking off rust after returning from his Opening Day injury and cruising the rest of the way.
- 2023: 30 GS / 3.06 ERA / 1.171 WHIP
- 2024: 24 GS / 3.07 ERA / 1.099 WHIP
Projected to earn just $6.4 million in arbitration, there's no question Jed Hoyer will bring the lefty back in 2025. A 2.9 fWAR player this year, even with the missed time, Steele more than earned his salary and gave Craig Counsell a powerful 1-2 punch atop the rotation alongside standout rookie Shota Imanaga.
Nate Pearson showed signs of figuring things out with the Cubs
Control has always been the issue for former top prospect Nate Pearson and after coming to the Cubs in a trade deadline move, he more than halved his walk rate, offering hope that he could still establish himself as a formidable presence.
Poised to earn just $1.4 million in arbitration, Pearson is still inexpensive, and, given the Cubs came off prospects to add him, there's no chance Jed Hoyer is ready to throw in the towel on him. He made 19 appearances down the stretch, working to a sub-1.000 WHIP and 2.73 ERA, showcasing his overpowering arsenal out of the pen.
Expect Pearson, along with guys like Cade Horton, Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks, to play roles in the bullpen next year. If Hoyer can add some established veterans into that mix and Porter Hodge backs up his breakout showing, the bullpen could be a major strength for the team in 2025.
Expect Isaac Paredes to be back at the hot corner for the Cubs in 2025
It took him a while to get his feet under him after coming to the Cubs in the Christopher Morel trade, but Isaac Paredes seemed to settle in down the stretch, batting .288 in September. The bigger concern if you're Hoyer, though, is that the power stroke he tapped into in Tampa never followed him to Wrigley, evidenced by three home runs in 219 trips to the plate post-trade.
That pales in comparison to the 16 doubles and 19 homers he had with the Rays - and falls well short of his career-best 31 homers from 2023. We all know the Wrigley Field effect this year, and it seems Paredes was one of its chief victims as he made the adjustment coming over from Tropicana Field.
Paredes projects to be the Cubs' most expensive arbitration case this winter, coming in at $6.9 million - a nice bump from his $3.4 million salary this year. There's a chance Hoyer brings him back and then shops him on the trade market, but the likelier outcome is he's back at third base next year.
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