Predicting which Cubs players will make the 2026 All-Star team

Even though the Chicago Cubs are enduring a brutal losing streak during the second month of the season, there are a handful of Cubs who have a decent chance of making the 2026 All-Star team. These standouts have been beacons of hope while the team as a whole has let the goodwill of its sizzling 27-12 start slip away. While the recent slide has been tough to watch, these three foundational pieces are giving fans reason to believe Chicago will be represented in the All-Star Game on July 14.

Ben Brown

The most obvious answer is right-hander Ben Brown, who looks like he has finally found his groove after two seasons struggling with injuries and inconsistent performance. The big difference for Brown in 2026 has been his development of a sinker, finally giving him a third pitch to lean on to complement his fastball and knuckle-curveball.

And the results have been excellent. Brown is using his sinker for nearly 20% of his pitches through his first 44 innings, and hitters are struggling with a .219 batting average when he throws it. The pitch has also helped Brown increase his ground-ball rate to 53.5% this year, up from 42.4% last year, while also averaging more than a strikeout per inning this year.

Brown also leads all Cubs starters with a 2.01 ERA, and he has been the team's most vital pitcher after the starting rotation suffered several key injuries. And Brown has continued to succeed as he builds up his pitch-count, going six innings with seven strikeouts and one earned run allowed in his latest start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. At this point, Brown is the Cubs' best chance to become an All-Star team representative as long as he continues to excel as a starting pitcher.

Pete Crow-Armstrong

It's tough to make this argument when so many people in the baseball world are fixated on Pete Crow-Armstrong's roller-coaster month of May. Even though he's made some egregious blunders on and off the field recently, he still ranks second among National League center fielders in fWAR (1.9). Think of PCA’s elite, gravity-defying defense as an advanced-stat cheat code: even when his bat undergoes a temporary cold front, his glove carries elite value. If he can pair that gold-glove defense with a productive month of June at the plate, his All-Star case will be much stronger.

It's possible, considering the 24-year-old smacked 44 extra-base hits in the first three months of 2025. Plus, he's showing signs of improvement with the bat. Manager Craig Counsell recently moved Crow-Armstrong to the leadoff spot, and his plate discipline has looked much better.

In a recent three-game stretch atop the lineup, Crow-Armstrong saw 69 pitches and drew three walks. Even during Monday's hitless outing, he consistently barreled up the baseball and hit it hard in nearly every plate appearance. When those hard-hit balls start finding grass, the surface stats are going to skyrocket right along with his All-Star voting numbers.

Daniel Palencia

The next most likely Cubs All-Star is closer Daniel Palencia. The main thing standing in Palencia's way is the fact that the Cubs aren't giving him much opportunity to convert saves, or even pitch in high-leverage spots late in ballgames. The 26-year-old also spent two weeks on the injured list.

But he's converted all three of his save opportunities so far, with a stellar 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings pitched. If the Cubs can give him more competitive innings in June, there's a chance Palencia can crack the All-Star team as a reliever.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow