The Chicago Cubs are about to change. They are improving and developing their strategy to better their game. Right now, the Cubs are ranked 19th in the FanDuel MLB listings, but we expect that to change soon.
Their off-season was busy, as they signed Jameson Taillon, Dansby Swanson, and Cody Bellinger. They also moved Drew Smyly, Anthony Kay, and Tucker Barnhart. All this change means we have a totally different team to play with.
So what has this done to the team overall, and what are their current profiles looking like?
Dansby Swanson
Because of the recent buy, the Chicago Cubs finally have a player in the top 100 player rankings. This isn’t enough for them to win the World Series 2023, but this change can pull them out of this drought.
Right now, Swanson is seen as a metaphor for the Cubs as a whole. Last year, he wasn’t on the list. This year he is considered the 39th-best player. If one player can make that amazing swap, so can the whole team.
Swanson has been playing in the Major League for 7 years, and each of those golden moments was part of the Atlanta Braves. Now he has signed another 7-year contract, but this time with the Cubs.
Chicago has grabbed this rising talent, and even plans to push Nico Hoerner into second base, so allow Swanson to play.
Nico Hoerner
Arguably, Hoerner should have entered into the top 100 list last year but was just a shade off the ranking position. To make matters worse, he is no longer the main shortstop for the Cubs now that Swanson has taken over.
Since his 2019 debut, Hoerner has continued to improve his game. He made 517 plate appearances, which led to 22 doubles, 10 homers, and 55 RBIs.
Despite all of these amazing displays of growth, the Cubs know that Swanson is their key to victory.
Hoerner shouldn’t take this setback to heart though, as he is still in the early stages of his career. His 2022 stats of 13 home runs and a batting average of 0.277 show a steady player with room for improvement.
Jameson Taillon
Taillon first played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he moved to the New York Yankees after 3 years. 2 years later, Taillon moved again, this time joining the Cubs.
Taillon has signed a 4-year deal with Chicago, which is his longest contract yet. So why has Chicago taken this rotating player on?
Taillon is considered a veteran player with a strong presence despite an empty trophy room. He won the American League Picture of the Month in 2021, but no other stand-out awards have been granted to the pitcher.
So what makes him special? Well last year, Taillon pitched 7 perfect innings, finished the season with an 8-6 record, and performed 140 strikeouts.
Many teams and fans sleep on Taillon, but this engine of a man keeps his teams centered and controlled.
Chicago is entering into a new era of baseball, and Taillon will get them there.
Cody Bellinger
Bellinger is a big name. The Cubs could only wrangle a 1-year contract out of the legend, but it could be enough to push Chicago into the playoffs. If the growth goes well, both the Cubs and Bellinger are prepared to extend the contract for another year.
So what makes Bellinger so great? For one, this 27-year-old has won a World Series. He was playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and they snapped the title in 2020. Bellinger has also earned the NLCP MVP, NL MVP, Rookie of the Year Award, Gold Glove Award, and Silver Slugger Award.
Bellinger is the most decorated man on the team. He is a sight for sore eyes, as the Cubs are desperate for position change among their stats.
However, in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Bellinger began to regress. He developed a shoulder injury that required surgery. Although he turned to the pitch soon after, his performance was shockingly bad. In fact, it was a career low.
Bellinger clearly wasn’t ready for a return just yet, but the damage had been done. Bellinger didn’t have the power needed to keep his reputation high.
This fall from grace marked a grand opportunity for the Cubs. Bellinger had never been so cheap. Cody needed a fresh start, and Chicago could afford the purchase.
Justin Steele
Justin Steele is starting his 3rd season in MLB. He is still a fresh-faced player, and the Cubs are using that newness to their advantage. Steele will be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation, behind the newly appointed Jameson Taillon.
Although this means he won’t get much action, Steele will be up close and personal with some of the best players the team has to offer. Steele can use this opportunity to grow and expand as he plays alongside new talent.
Final Thoughts
This list of MLB profiles contains important information about the new players entering the team and the best players already signed on. This season should look completely different from the last as the Chicago Cubs have bagged some fantastic new talent.
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