Ranking 5 Cubs extension candidates — ranging from most likely to least likely

At the outset of the offseason, Jed Hoyer made it clear that he was interested in talking extensions with a number of Chicago Cubs players. With less than a week until pitchers and catchers report to Mesa, though, there hasn't been a peep about such deals being in the works. Hoyer does like keeping things under wraps as long as possible, though, and the focus on the past few months has largely been on improving the team, with Alex Bregman being the clear highlight. However, the start of the regular season has typically been a soft cut-off date for these conversations, so it's about time to put pen to paper.

As important as it was to build on a 92-win, NLDS-finishing season, this offseason was also a crucial moment to solidify the long-term future of the Cubs. We've mentioned time and again the coming cliff that will see many of their core players leave in free agency after the 2026 season. With so much money coming off the books, they have the room and should be working to keep at least some of their pieces while also locking down some of their best young stars on longer-term agreements.

Actually finding a middle ground with said players, however, is easier said than done. Let's look at five key contributors and rank the likelihood of them receiving a new deal from the Cubs before the end of the season.

5 extension candidates the Cubs could pursue spring training deals with

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Pete Crow-Armstrong isn't going to be a free agent until 2031, yet he remains among the most sensible and likely candidates to reach an extension for multiple reasons. 2025 was an uneven breakout year for the budding superstar that finally showed he was capable of being a special player for a long time, with a .265/.302/.544 slash line and 131 wRC+ in the first half. Thanks to his second-half woes at the plate, though, he ultimately rated just above average offensively, but his elite speed and glove meant he was still worth an elite 5.4 fWAR. Not to mention, he now owns one of only three 30-30 seasons in Cubs history.

The defense always means PCA's floor will be high, but the bat's consistency remains in question. It's that makeup of a high floor and high ceiling with some offensive uncertainty that makes now the perfect time to approach him about sticking around for the long haul. Any extension made now would be massive, but not as back-breaking as if he put together a performance like his first half across a full season. The Cubs already got the ball rolling by talking to him last year, too, meaning there's already some momentum towards making this happen.

Also, it certainly helps that PCA is the current face of the Cubs and one of the most popular players in Chicago sports right now, period. Hoyer has never been one to factor in any sort of sentimentality when considering the value or urgency of a deal, but his presence, whether as the most exciting player on the field or a constant presence on the sidelines of Bears and Blackhawks games, is undeniable. It would do a lot for this team to ensure he doesn't even sniff free agency, and I believe they understand that.

Nico Hoerner

Although he's been the subject of trade rumors aplenty this offseason, the most logical option for Nico Hoerner was simply to try to extend him. 2025 really showed how valuable he was to this team with his own brand of play. Though not possessing the superstar potential with the bat that his teammate in center field does, he actually matched PCA with a 109 wRC+, though he got there more through getting on base consistently. Hoerner also nabbed his second Gold Glove for his continued stellar play up the middle, and really emerged as a team leader within the clubhouse.

What makes an extension a little harder to see for him compared to PCA has everything to do with when he's hitting free agency. Ignoring the implications of the potential lockout and new CBA, the 2027 offseason looks bleak on the positional side. Bo Bichette may opt out of his Mets deal, but, past him, there's a real argument that Hoerner is the best player on the market. As seen with the interest the Red Sox and Giants showed in him in a potential trade, other teams would be very eager to pay up for his services. As much as he likes the Cubs, it wouldn't be shocking if they can't reach a middle ground, given his earning potential in such a weak market.

Hoerner has put up four straight seasons of 3.9 fWAR or better, with 2025 marking a high at 4.8. He's earned a proper payday, but it still seems quite possible for the Cubs to make it happen. If he's looking for something in the realm of CBS's projected $120 million over six years, there should be no reason for Hoyer and company not to agree.

Ian Happ

Hoerner and Ian Happ both got an extension together last time around, so why not again? A lot of fans may be frustrated over the left-fielder's inconsistencies throughout a season, but you always know that he's going to give you solid value each year, even if it's not always the prettiest. Across the last four seasons, he's hovered in the high 2 to mid 3 fWAR range, with a wRC+ around 120 and a Gold Glove win in left field. As a supplementary player, that's a very solid presence to have.

Moreover, he's reiterated his desire time and again to stay in Chicago for life. It's uncertain if that will happen, but a few more years with the Cubs isn't that hard to imagine. At only 31 years old entering the season, he's still young enough to make a multi-year deal feel safe, especially with his track record. He's also not going to command the same money as either of the players above him. If anything, another three-to-four-year deal worth $40 to $60 million, with, perhaps, a club option, might be enough to keep him around.

How the Cubs handle the outfield, however, is going to be interesting. PCA has center field locked down, but with Kevin Alcantara waiting in the wings, they might have to weigh what to do with Happ and Suzuki and whether anyone else in free agency or on the trade market makes more sense. Given his willingness to re-up in Chicago, he still feels like a likely candidate to accept a deal before the season, though it also wouldn't be surprising for the Cubs to punt on the decision until next offseason.

Cade Horton

The Cubs got a pleasant surprise in 2025 when Cade Horton stepped up and became an unexpected ace. Throwing a by-far career high of 118 innings, he posted a 2.67 ERA and 3.58 FIP. An injury may have taken him out at the worst time, but the promise of a young, controllable top-of-the-rotation arm was there. Moreover, he accomplished all that without getting nearly as many strikeouts as he did in the minors, suggesting he may have another gear as he learns how to attack big-league hitters.

Ah, but the caveat to all that is that his performance was so impressive, it earned him a second-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting and a full year of service time. Now, he's set to hit the open market the same year as PCA, which certainly ups the urgency for the Cubs to get something done. Horton looks like one of their rare high-end starting pitching wins at a time when their lack of development of young arms is well-noted. Although Jaxon Wiggins is coming, there's no certainty he'll translate to the majors, and there's not a lot coming after him, barring someone popping in the minors.

Add in the fact that pitching is just so expensive in general, and it makes sense for the Cubs to try and get something done with Horton now on something like a six-year deal that will land some cost certainty and extra control. There's a real risk to waiting. A full season that looks like his 2025 outing would raise the price of poker tremendously. His injury history might give some pause, though, especially with all the other players the Cubs have to deal with.

Seiya Suzuki

On the other side of the outfield, Seiya Suzuki would represent a notable loss for the Cubs' offense. While PCA and Michael Busch give the team plenty of pop from the left side of the plate, the right fielder may be their biggest right-handed power threat coming off a year in which he hit .245/.326/.478 with 32 home runs and a 123 wRC+. He still has yet to put together a massive, truly complete offensive year like he's appeared to be capable of, but the results have nonetheless been more than worth the five years and $85 million they paid to land him in 2022. And, like Happ, he'll only be 31 to start this season.

Again, with a weak free agent class, it's hard to imagine the Cubs finding a player with as high a ceiling as Suzuki without making a trade. That alone may give them real interest in extending the Japanese slugger now, in case his walk year is the one where he finally avoids any prolonged slumps that have kept him from being a true superstar. However, that's also a reason why Suzuki might be unwilling to reach an agreement right now. He's in a spot where one monster season will translate to a difference of dollars in the tens of millions. It may be tricky to thread that needle with a deal that convinces him not to bet himself while not also taking a huge risk on an outfielder in his 30s with limited defensive value.

Like with Happ, the Cubs will also have to consider Alcantara and how they wish to structure the outfield going forward. They're probably only keeping one of their two corner outfielders heading into 2027. If it's Suzuki, it's probably only because they linked back up next offseason, and not because he took himself off the market early.