3 Cubs prospects most impacted by the Cody Bellinger signing

Jed Hoyer silenced his critics in resounding fashion in the wee hours of the morning Sunday, bringing reigning NL Comeback Player of the Year Cody Bellinger back on a three-year, $80 million deal that falls well short of the $200+ million he was reportedly seeking when the offseason began.

The contract is a win-win for both the Cubs and Bellinger, who has the opportunity to opt out after both the 2024 and 2025 seasons if he plays well, potentially giving him another bite at the free agent apple if he can prove he's healthy and his performance last year was no fluke. Bringing him back, though, has some immediate roster implications for Chicago, especially when it comes to the team's young prospects.

It feels likely Pete Crow-Armstrong will now open the year at Triple-A

Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong could still crack the Opening Day roster, but it feels more likely that he'll get some more seasoning at Iowa. Considering his initial struggles in limited big league action last summer and the fact he's played all of 34 games at Triple-A, this move makes a ton of sense.

The regular starting outfield will likely consist of Gold Glover Ian Happ in left, Bellinger in center and Seiya Suzuki in right. Mike Tauchmann will likely grab the fourth outfielder role, slotting into center when Bellinger is playing first or serving as the Cubs' DH.

Chicago's bench seems likely to consist of Miguel Amaya, Miles Mastrobuoni, Patrick Wisdom and Nick Madrigal - leaving PCA as the odd man out, along with the next man on our list.