Veterans and a top prospect square off for the Cubs' fourth outfielder spot originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chicago Cubs are coming into the 2026 season with some major hype. They were one of the most aggressive teams over the winter, putting them in a great spot this year.
Despite losing Kyle Tucker in free agency, they were able to get a deal done with Alex Bregman. And they were also able to acquire RHP Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins as their two biggest splashes.
Much of the lineup is already figured out, but there are some battles that fans will want to pay attention to this spring.
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Veterans and a top prospect square off for the Cubs' fourth outfielder spot
One area that the team still needs to figure out is who will be the club's fourth outfielder. They have a few options, including two veterans and one of the team's top prospects.
According to Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter, he expects the battle to come down to Dylan Carlson, Chas McCormick, and Kevin Alcantara.
"The Cubs' biggest spring battle is for a bench job, but it's an important one. If Moises Ballesteros struggles in the DH role, Seiya Suzuki could quickly shift back to being the regular DH, leaving the fourth outfielder in a position to start. Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson are both in camp on minor league deals with a real shot to win the job, and McCormick has the upper hand thanks to his superior glove. Kevin Alcanatara is ready for the majors, but it makes more sense to get him regular reps back at Triple-A."
In the end, Reuter believes McCormick will find his way to being Chicago's fourth outfielder. His lifetime fielding percentage of .995 in the outfield gives him the slight advantage over Carlson.
Alcantara might be better off getting some more time in the minors before he becomes a force in the big leagues.
More MLB news:
- Rangers head to camp with Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz battling for the rotation
- A's still looking for their closer following the Mason Miller trade
- Travis Bazzana's WBC commitment may cost him an Opening Day roster spot
- The White Sox face a competitive four-man race in center field
- The Astros' rotation stands out as a glaring weakness on an otherwise solid roster