5 players who could play center field for the Cubs in 2024

3. Mike Tauchman

Mike Tauchman seemingly came out of nowhere to give the Cubs a shot in the arm. As a native of Palatine Illinois, Tauchman making his way to the team he grew up watching is certainly a fun story and he was a decent contributor this year with 8 home runs and 48 driven in.

But I think the Cubs should be weary to give Tauchman much more leash. At 32 years old, his defense in center field is not the best and he has never been good enough to play a full season's worth of games in the past. Tauchman is set to hit arbitration this offseason and the projections have him earning $2 million. With talent like Crow-Armstrong reaching the big-league level, I think the team should thank Tauchman for his services and release him into the wild to find his next suitor.

4. Alexander Canario

Alexander Canario rehabbed his way back from a scary injury late last year, where he fractured his ankle and dislocated his shoulder in the same play. There were worries that Canario would not be able to return to his 2022 form, where he cranked 37 home runs and drove in 97 runs.

But Canario looked great upon his return, and he was the first guy called up when the rosters expanded in September. Similar to Crow-Armstrong, Manager David Ross used Canario sparingly to say the least, and he was only able to compile 17 at-bats.

But Canario did flash a bit of power and he looked comfortable facing big-league pitching. Hopefully, he can carve out a spot next year because Canario's kind of power is what the Cubs need in their lineup.