Cubs' lack of star power made clear with insider's latest prediction

The Chicago Cubs' Major League roster is littered with players who are among the best at their respective positions in terms of playing the game fundamentally sound but the knock on the construction of the roster since the teardown at the 2021 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline is that the team lacks star power.

With the Cubs having arguably the best farm system in all of baseball, there is a strong chance that they will have a homegrown superstar at some point in the upcoming seasons.

Whether it is Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara, or Matt Shaw, the Cubs have several position player prospects that could easily become the next superstar in Major League Baseball. Even starting pitching prospect Cade Horton has the potential to be the next dominant ace in the National League.

The issue is the Cubs have yet to see that prospect success in the Minor Leagues translate to success at the Major League level.

That is the reason the Cubs are not represented on Jim Bowden's list in The Athletic (Subscription Required) of 10 players expected to breakout this season. Each team of the other teams in the National League Central gets a shoutout with Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds getting the top spot.

Had Crow-Armstrong got an extended runway in center field last September, chances are he would be on the list but it's not hard to argue with Bowden omitting the Cubs.

Though, the argument could be made that Seiya Suzuki should be on the list. Suzuki posted a wRC+ of 196 during the final month of the regular season in 2023 and if his second-half performance is an indicator of the production to be expected moving forward, the Cubs will have an answer to the question of who is their next superstar.

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