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Cody Bellinger returning to the Chicago Cubs for the 2025 season likely changed the initial plan that the Cubs had for Owen Caissie next season.
Prior to the Cubs learning that Bellinger would be exercising his $27.5MM player option for the 2025 season, it seemed that the early messaging of the offseason was the Cubs were going to use Bellinger leaving via free agency as a way to create a runway for Owen Caissie at the Major League level.
With Bellinger's return, it all but guarantees that he will open the 2025 season as the team's right fielder with Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field and Ian Happ in left field. With Seiya Suzuki shifting to becoming the team's designated hitter, the Cubs did not have the clear runway for Caissie that they may have been hoping for.
In an offseason where it would seem likely that the Cubs are going to trade from the top of their prospect rankings, Caissie's name has been a popular one mentioned in the early rumors of the offseason.
Owen Caissie is a popular name in early-stage trade buzz at the GM Meetings.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 6, 2024
The 22-year-old Cubs prospect is coming off an impressive Triple-A season (.848 OPS) but does not have a clear path to everyday at-bats in a crowded @MLB outfield. @MLBNetwork
Let's get the obvious fact out of the way, just because the Cubs seem to have their starting outfield set along with their designated hitter, that doesn't mean Caissie doesn't have a runway to playing time at the Major League level. One thing that has defined the Cubs' season in each of the past two years is Suzuki missing up to a month due to a soft-tissue injury. While no injury can be forecasted, history would suggest that a prospect like Caissie should have an opportunity at extended playing time at some point during the 2025 season
NEXT READ: The Cubs may already have a popular trade target crossed off.
All that to say Bellinger's return doesn't mean that the Cubs have to trade Caissie. But, considering an impact trade is more likely for the Cubs than an impact free-agent signing, moving a prospect like Caissie is certainly within the realm of possibility.