Rumored Carter Hawkins move could finally fix what’s broken with Cubs

Front office changes could suddenly be on the horizon for the Chicago Cubs. Reports are that Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins is a finalist for the vacant position of the same title with the Washington Nationals, which would leave Jed Hoyer without someone who has become a rising voice in the Cubs' organization.

Hoyer remains the front-man for the decisions made by the Cubs' baseball operations, but there's no denying that Hawkins' influence has been felt with the moves the team has made in recent seasons. In talking about Hawkins' candidacy for the Nationals' opening, The Athletic's MLB insiders peeled the curtain back on his role with the Cubs.

"Back at Wrigley Field, Hawkins has been a heavy influence on Chicago’s push to lean harder on statistical models to evaluate players and hunt for the surplus value in every deal."

It's been well documented that the Cubs are among a handful of teams that doesn't put much reliance on in-person scouting, and it would seem that Hawkins was the mastermind behind that shift. It would also appear that while Hoyer has looked for value in every free-agent signing and trade he has made, Hawkins has been the voice in his ear.

"The Cubs wanted that disciplined, small-market perspective when they hired Hawkins away from the Cleveland Guardians after the 2021 season. Hawkins, who played college baseball at Vanderbilt, spent 14 seasons with Cleveland, an organization that has remained consistently competitive despite its limitations."

This Carter Hawkins rumor could signal massive shift for Cubs front office

Recently, in the aftermath of Hoyer signing a multi-year extension and the Cubs' questionable approach to the trade deadline, Hawkins was under fire for referring to 2032 as the reason why the Cubs were not as aggressive as what many fans believe they should have been. The point Hawkins was trying to make is that the Cubs want to be a good team year-over-year, and won't make a move at the deadline that damagers their outlook in the years ahead. Unfortunately, given that the Cubs haven't reached the playoffs since 2020, Hawkins' insinuation fell on deaf ears.

If Hawkins does land the job with the Nationals, this could be an opening that the Cubs have desperately needed. It will allow Hoyer to conduct a search of external candidates, who can expose the flaws in how the Cubs have operated in recent seasons. Of course, the likelihood remains that Hoyer leans toward another executive that shares a similar philosophy as Hawkins, but perhaps the search will bring a level of reckoning the front office hasn't had in some time.

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