Evaluating the Cubs' Corner Infield Depth for 2026

Among the developments that took shape for the 2025 Chicago Cubs was the establishment of long-term options on either side of the infield dirt. Coming off an impressive rookie campaign in 2024, Michael Busch further cemented himself as the team's first baseman of the future. His offensive output shot up all over the board while he continued capable of providing reliable defense. 

On the other side, it wasn't without its bumps (including an early demotion to Iowa), but Matt Shaw showed enough flashes to get another run as the team's starter at the hot corner in 2026. His glove is his primary asset (12 Defensive Runs Saved) with the bat showing out occasionally (130 wRC+ in the second half before an atrocious playoff run). 

What the Cubs possess in terms of contingencies for 2026, however, is anyone's guess. Justin Turner was the primary supplement for Busch at first. While Busch drew 155 appearances (131 starts), Turner's work against left-handed pitching got him in action for 39 games while Moisés Ballesteros drew in for a pair late in the year. Carlos Santana was in the mix for six games of his own. 

Third base was much more of a hodgepodge. While Shaw worked on his bat in Triple-A, Craig Counsell was forced to run out a rotation of Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, and Nicky Lopez. Gage Workman got a few appearances early while Willi Castro had a few starts thrown his way after his acquisition at the trade deadline. Turner garnered 14 appearances of his own at the hot corner. That's seven players logging time at third base, with only Shaw remaining in the organization. 

Shaw's bat remains imperfect. That means that, as the Cubs build their roster for '26, they may want to explore the addition of a bench bat capable of giving him a blow as needed. First base, though, has some depth to work with beyond its current starter. 

First Base

Starter: Michael Busch (.261/.343/.523, 34 HR, 4 SB, 140 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR)

Everywhere you look, you see improvement from Michael Busch in 2025. His approach continued its refinement and he raised his contact rates while cutting his strikeout rate by five percent. The power was perhaps the most significant development that took shape for him last season, providing something sustainable in a Cubs lineup that struggled to find it at times. Some of that was due to Counsell playing the matchups and hiding him against lefties. The rest is the upside that was already present when he was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of 2024. He certainly looks the part of a long-term option at the position.

Depth: Moisés Ballesteros, Jonathon Long

With the impending departure of Kyle Tucker, it certainly looks as if Seiya Suzuki will get his playing time back on the outfield grass. That will, in turn, free up some time for Ballesteros as the team's designated hitter. And if the team is apprehensive about putting him behind the plate — which seems likely considering the presence of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya — then Ballesteros could be on the roster as the team's designated hitter to start the year. That leaves him as an option to supplement Busch at first, though as a left-handed hitter, it's not as if he's going to steal starts. Even with limited experience, the fact that Counsell was willing to throw him a bit of time toward the end of the year indicates that we should expect to see him in Busch's stead at least on occasion, however. 

In the minor league ranks, Jonathon Long possesses some of the same skill set that makes Busch so intriguing. Long has an advanced approach at this stage (13.0 percent walk rate in Triple-A in '25) that feeds into his power upside (20 homers, .173 ISO). Initially a corner infielder, Long logged just nine games at third in 2025 against 115 at first base. Should the Cubs be in need of a longer term option for Busch at any point in 2025, he's likely the guy (barring any outside addition this winter).

Third Base

Starter: Matt Shaw (.226/.295/.394, 13 HR, 17 SB, 93 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR)

It'll be interesting to see what shape Shaw's role will take for the 2026 Cubs considering the team is expected to be in on Alex Bregman again this winter. Would such a signing relegate Shaw to more utility duty on the infield? Would he become an immediate trade candidate? It's difficult to project. At this point, though, we have no reason to believe that the hot corner will belong to anyone other than Shaw next season, even as the offensive side of his game remains a work in progress.

Depth: Pedro Ramirez

Unlike first base, where you could see a path toward playing time for a couple of notable bats in the system, the Cubs have no such contingency currently in their organization. We've already noted the fact that Long hasn't played the position much recently. As such, Pedro Ramirez, who was just added to the 40-man roster, appears to be the most likely candidate to fill in. He's more of a light-hitting option on the power side (.106 ISO) but offers a solid approach and good on-base skills (28 steals). Where there are questions, though, is about how the glove will play, with reports citing his reaction time and arm. 

Ultimately, this is a clear area in need of a bench upgrade as the winter gets underway. The good news for the Cubs, at least, is that whatever outside depth they may pursue should provide at least a mild upgrade over what they ran out beyond Shaw last season.