Cory Sparks

Cade Horton's remarkable 2025 campaign had him knocking on the doorstep of some National League Rookie of the Year hardware. Based on his arsenal, durability, and signs of growth, can he be the ace of a crowded room of arms this season? We dive into Horton's strengths, weaknesses, and the likelihood of that happening. Enjoy! View full video

While Ben Brown was hit around and struggled to control at-bats with a two-pitch mix in 2025, there are a few signals pointing towards a bounce-back campaign in 2026. If all goes to plan, and Brown expands his arsenal, Tommy Hottovy eluded that Brown could be a pivotal part of the future of this Cubs rotation. View full video

Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Spring training is finally here, and the non-roster invitees for every big-league team see it as a prime chance to break into The Show. For the Chicago Cubs, there are three non-roster invitees who could be in line to make some extra noise and contribute on the north side of Chicago in 2026. Jaxon Wiggins This name drop feels self-explanatory. Wiggins is the top pitching prospect in the Cubs pipeline. The hard-throwing righty ended his season in Triple-A Iowa last year, with one of the best fastball-slider combos in the minors. The fastball, earning a 65 grade at the end of the 2025 campaign, sits comfortably in the 96-97 mph range and can touch 100 mph when the 24-year-old gets ramped up. The velocity also holds up well within outings, an important attribute for someone who has frontline starter potential. Stuff models don't like the heater as much as scouts do, but there's time for the team and Wiggins to improve the pitch's combination of shapes and locations. Wiggins’s mid-80s slider has hard bite to it and has the capability to generate whiffs, but he has struggled to control it at times. He also has a mid-80s changeup with decent arm-side ride. Overall, Wiggins has 168 strikeouts in 138 innings of professional baseball, and it's looking like he can keep racking up punchouts in the majors—perhaps as soon as this summer. It's unlikely that we'll see Wiggins right away, of course. His ability to break into this year’s rotation got dicey once the Cubs traded for projected starter Edward Cabrera. Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon round out what will likely be Chicago’s starting five. Meanwhile, erstwhile ace Justin Steele is expected to make a midseason return, and appears to be ahead of schedule. Injuries can happen, and with those come opportunities, but between the depth of the rotation and the bevy of veteran arms in camp to compete for bullpen spots, we're likely to see Wiggins spend at least the first two months in Iowa. Jonathon Long Like Wiggins, Long has only a slim chance to crack the roster at a relatively loaded position. Still, the 24-year-old corner infielder is making his case to be a big bat, as he registered a .305 batting average and a .404 on-base percentage in 140 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2025. Long also belted a career-best 20 long (Long?) balls and drove in 91 runs. His 55-grade power has blossomed over time, and the Cactus League will give him a chance to test himself against some big-league arms. Michael Busch is a star-caliber first baseman, but right-handed platoon bat and backup Tyler Austin is more of an enigma. There may be room for the 2023 9th-rounder to earn a DH spot or to overtake Austin, but he’ll have to truly wreak havoc to compete with Moisés Ballesteros, Kevin Alcántara, Matt Shaw and Austin for a spot. He's a bit buried on the Cubs' depth chart, but if nothing else, he has some burgeoning trade value. Grant Kipp Once you get past Wiggins, there's a bit of a lacuna on the Cubs' organizational starting pitching depth chart. Kipp, who had 110 strikeouts (but 57 walks and a whopping 18 hit batsmen) in 108 innings at Double-A Knoxville, will try to help fill it, though he probably doesn't have much of a future as a starter in the majors. His 60-grade curveball is the sharpest of any of his pitches, as it generates 3,000 rpm with a shape that he’s able to customize throughout his starts. Kipp has come a long way from signing on for $50,000 as a nondrafted free agent in 2022. Can he make the next step? His ability to rule at-bats with his off speed stuff this spring could answer that question. These aren't the non-roster guys most likely to help the 2026 Cubs. There are several players in camp whom the team signed specifically to compete for limited but important roles, and who have big-league track records that foretell success. However, the Cubs system needs to start achieving greater success in terms of churning out homegrown players at each level of a roster. In Wiggins, Long and Kipp, there are three guys in big-league camp who personify the potential and the developmental needs that define the team's long-term goals. View full article

Is Jameson Taillon underappreciated? The Cubs starter recently responded to a Twitter poll referring to Taillon giving up a home run to Alex Bregman as the former Pittsburgh Pirate being in midseason form. This got our wheels turning and gave our team a jolt of inspiration to highlight just how solid Taillon has been in Chicago's rotation over the last two years. In this video, we cover his durability, six-pitch mix, and pitch-to-contact tactics that make him a reliable fifth starter for this year's squad. View full video

Ethan Conrad is the Cubs' first-round pick from the 2025 MLB Draft. The Marist/Wake Forest alum brings a well-rounded approach, as he flashed with 13 triples in his 2024 season. Already being rated as the no. 5 prospect in the Cubs system, Conrad projects to be the team's future outfielder in just a couple of years' time. Will he take Seiya Suzuki or Ian Happ's spot, and will either be around after their contracts expire after this season? We dive into it all here on North Side Baseball. View full video

Jaxon Wiggins is the top pitching prospect in the Cubs' farm system. His scouting report says he is estimated to arrive in The Show this upcoming summer, but is that feasible? In this video, we dive into Wiggins' pitch arsenal, the Cubs' rotation, depth pieces ahead of Wiggins, and whether or not we will truly see him at Wrigley Field in 2026. View full video

Six different Chicago Cubs hitters smacked 20 or more home runs in 2025. Now, with recent offseason transactions considered, who deserves to be the team's main slugger for the 2026 season? We review the various cases for Pete Crow-Armstrong coming off a 30-30 season, Seiya Suzuki after his career year, a surging first baseman in Michael Busch, and the new kid in town, Alex Bregman. Follow North Side Baseball for more content and breakdowns just like this! View full video

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images It’s officially the final month without regular season baseball, and thus, it’s time for another Cubs opening day roster projection. Besides, there have been important changes lately. The North Siders have made a pair of seismic moves for Edward Cabrera (trade) and Alex Bregman (free agent) since the last version of our roster projection came out. In this article, we’ll recap how those moves have had a domino effect on the rest of this roster makeup and who will have to battle extra hard for their spot in spring training. Pitchers (13) Shota Imanaga - SP Matthew Boyd - SP Cade Horton - SP Jameson Taillon - SP Edward Cabrera - SP Colin Rea - RP Javier Assad - RP Phil Maton - RP Caleb Thielbar - RP Hoby Milner - RP Jacob Webb - RP Hunter Harvey - RP Daniel Palencia - RP The huge change here comes from Chicago acquiring former Miami right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera for top prospect Owen Caissie and a pair of infielders, in Christian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon. The first domino to fall is Colin Rea. He’ll easily make the Opening Day roster, but his starting spot turns into more of a swingman role, similar to what he had to start the 2025 campaign. This doesn’t mean he’ll stay out of the rotation, though. No Cubs starter has a clean health history. Who leaves the 13-man depth chart? Porter Hodge is the most sensible option. Hodge struggled mightily with his command in 2025, posting an ERA above 6.00 in both the majors and Triple-A Iowa. The walks (18 in 33 innings of big-league ball) were a major concern. Hodge will likely continue to work on his stuff in Iowa, but he won’t be alone. Luke Little and top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins will be in the fight, with major-league aspirations of their own. Javier Assad could also end up there, depending on how the team's bevy of minor-league signings look in camp. Catchers (2) Carson Kelly Miguel Amaya The catching situation seems locked in, at least for now. If the summer of Carson Kelly doesn’t yield a satisfying sequel, top catching prospect Moisés Ballesteros is waiting in the wings and could shift back to his traditional spot to platoon with Amaya in the future. For now, though, a timeshare seems like the most likely outcome, and Ballesteros looks to be ticketed for DH duty. Infielders (5) Michael Busch - 1B Tyler Austin - 1B Nico Hoerner - 2B Dansby Swanson - SS Alex Bregman - 3B When a team signs their new third baseman to a 5-year, $175 =-million deal, it’s an ‘act now and react later’ situation. Alex Bregman, a three-time all-star, will take Matt Shaw’s spot at the hot corner. The rest of the infield remains the same, for now, although Nico Hoerner, who was near the top of the league in WAR (6.2) last year, will be playing on an expiring contract. Outfielders (5) Ian Happ Pete Crow-Armstrong Seiya Suzuki Matt Shaw Kevin Alcántara While the Cubs built up their rotation by taking a swing for Edward Cabrera, their pack of outfield prospects lost its top dog in Owen Caissie. This opened up an opportunity for Kevin Alcántara, who has flashed his power/speed combo at the Triple-A level. It also opens the door up for Shaw. Keep in mind that Kyle Tucker not coming back opened up another spot, and Shaw is taking on a utility role that includes some outfield work. Alcántara gets a shot to operate with an expanded role, and if Shaw isn't traded, he could get significant playing time in the grass. However, Justin Dean, Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson will all be in camp, too, bying for versions of Alcántara's spot that would reduce Shaw's likelihood of playing in the outfield. Designated Hitter (1) Moisés Ballesteros Ballesteros is in wait-and-see mode, as the Cubs have a plethora of either unproven outfielders (Shaw, Alcantara) or talents on expiring contracts (Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki). His bat will make him hard to ignore, as he hit .298 with nine walks to 12 strikeouts in his first big-league stint. It’s a small sample, but seeing a green bat turn in a 13.6% walk rate and an .868 OPS should bode well for his chances in 2026. Who did we miss, and what would you change about our Opening Day roster projection? Be sure to leave a comment, and we will get back to you. View full article

While Chicago was just a game away from getting back to the NLCS for the first time since 2017, there's still plenty of margin to catch up to the Dodgers and Phillies of the world, never mind the Brewers in their own division. Dansby Swanson can make a few offensive adjustments that we cover; Justin Steele's situation fits the health-is-wealth saying more than ever (especially with some pitchers on contract years); and Colin Rea may be the most important plug-and-play piece of all. We cover all of it right here on North Side Baseball. View full video

While the Chicago Cubs have been fairly proactive in the offseason, trading for big-ticket arm Edward Cabrera and signing Alex Bregman, there's a major issue underneath the surface. The further you look down Chicago's pitching pipeline, the more concerned you should get about their depth. Here is a full breakdown of what type of arm talent the Cubs have waiting in the wings, starting with Jaxon Wiggins and working all the way down to Grant Kipp. View full video

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Who will the Cubs’ right fielder of the future be? With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing former Cub Kyle Tucker to a 4-year deal worth $240 million, the carousel at the 9-spot will take another spin. Fans at The Friendly Confines have seen their fair share of personnel chase balls toward the big yellow '353' in the last several years. Tucker, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki have taken turns since the start of 2022. Before that, there was Jason Heyward, but Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist each also spent lots of time there. The position is important to the team, historically, going back to the likes of Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa. Who will it be in 2026? The answer seemed clear. Even before Tucker inked a deal with the Dodgers, the writing was on the wall that he wouldn’t be coming back after his one-year stint in the Windy City. Owen Caissie seemed like the lay-up answer, until the Cubs dealt him to Miami in a big swing for rotation piece Edward Cabrera. That leaves Chicago in murky waters for the future of their right field position, but there are four players who can separate themselves from the rest this upcoming season. Kevin Alcántara I didn’t think this guy had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where to get meaningful playing time before Caissie packed his bags for Miami, but now, the window of opportunity seems wide open for him. Acquired from the New York Yankees in 2021's Anthony Rizzo trade, Alcántara has all the tools to be the next superstar to guard the right-field foul pole. He’s 6-foot-6, an athletic 188 pounds, and he flies like the wind. The 23-year-old worked his way through Chicago’s pipeline with a lanky grace in center field. After logging 14 home runs and 61 runs batted in across the top two levels of the minors, Alcántara made his big-league debut late in 2024, going 1-for-10 with a run scored. In 2025, ‘The Jaguar’ spent 102 more games in Iowa before registering 4 hits in 11 at-bats with the parent club. The intangibles are there; he’s long, rangy, and can spark a rally if he gets on base. His power upside is clear, and while he hasn't been a high-volume runner in the minors, you can see how Quintin Berry might make him one in the majors. The most pressing issue? Strikeouts. The former Yankees prospect has hovered around a 30% strikeout rate in the minors. He does have time on his side, both in age and big-league control time, but the plate discipline needs to come around, and that means making contact and getting the ball in the air consistently, despite his size. Seiya Suzuki Suzuki offers the most proven offensive production of anyone on this list, and it isn’t even close. He's upped his home run total every year, topping out at 32 long balls and 103 runs batted in 2025. He was a marvel in terms of contact quality last year, ranking in the top decile in barrel rate and launch angle sweet spot and the top quintile in hard-hit rate. Arguably, he should’ve had a spot on the National League All-Star roster. Despite a much quieter second half, he punished opposing pitchers all season long. As an anything "of the future," though, he's a tricky fit. This is the fifth and final year of Suzuki’s contract, and his glove has been suspect at times. The Cubs couldn’t help but keep his bat in the lineup, so 102 of his 150 games were out of the DH spot last year. It doesn't seem very likely, though, that he and the Cubs will re-up for another five years after this. Ethan Conrad From the player with the largest body of work in this set, we go directly to a pipeline talent who has no professional baseball experience. Conrad was the Cubs’ first-round pick in the 2025 Draft, but it may be awhile until we see him don Cubbie blue. However, he's a well-rounded talent with star-caliber upside. Taking a look at Conrad’s college numbers, he had an unreal season with Marist in 2024. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound outfielder logged an NCAA Division I-best 13 triples that year, before transferring to Wake Forest (and the more robust competition of the ACC) for 2025. He hit well there in a brief stint, before shoulder surgery ended his season, The Cubs took Conrad because they saw an opportunity. He was considered a candidate to go in the top half of the first round before getting hurt, so by being willing to roll the dice on him after the injury, they gave themselves a chance to find that right fielder of the future. Between having transferred from a small school and having gotten hurt before getting drafted, though, he's not as polished as most college hitters taken in the first round. It'll be a couple of years before he knocks on the door. Who Will Be the Cubs’ Right Fielder of the Future? After surveying these options, it feels like Alcántara’s job to lose. Suzuki’s contract status raises too large of a question mark. Conrad’s ETA is too far away for him to jump “The Jaguar,” and while Matt Shaw is taking reps in the outfield, he doesn't profile as a useful corner outfielder. If he can iron out the whiff issues and stay on the field, Alcántara could emerge by the end of this year as the long-term solution. Of course, that's a big 'if,' but there are no perfect answers here. View full article

The Cubs' trade acquisition of Edward Cabrera begs the golden question: Why give up much for this guy? In this video, you'll learn about Cabrera's lethal five-pitch mix, his devastating changeup, and what led to a career year in 2025. Can he sustain this success, or will some of his pitfalls, also mentioned in this video, come back to bite Chicago's front office? Let us know what you think about this trade! View full video

The Cubs outfield has the possibility of including any of the following debut players: Kevin Alcantara, Owen Caissie, Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki. Who will be here in two years? What about five years? We break down the players, their skillsets, contract complications, and more. View full video