Cubs pursue outfield help, eyeing Dylan Carlson on a minor league deal. Can he reignite his past success and secure a roster spot?
The Chicago Cubs continue to look for ways to upgrade their outfield depth for the 2026 season.
After losing both Kyle Tucker and Owen Caissie this offseason, the Cubs are in search of a fourth outfielder for their roster. The front office has been busy at work trying to fill that outfield spot with recent additions of Justin Dean and Chas McCormick.
Dean was claimed off waivers by the Cubs after the San Francisco Giants designated him for assignment earlier this month. The 29-year-old was mostly a defensive replacement on last year’s World Series championship Dodgers team.
As for McCormick, he recently signed a Minor League deal with the North Siders. He has struggled with injuries in each of the past two seasons, but is just three years removed from a 3.4 WAR season with the Houston Astros in 2023.
Despite those two additions, it looks like the Cubs are potentially bringing in another outfielder to compete for that fourth outfield spot.
Greg Zumach reports that the team is set to sign Dylan Carlson to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training. While nothing has been confirmed yet, this signing makes sense after Carlson was seen at the Cubs’ Spring Training facility in Arizona just a few days ago.
Ray R. Rardin II captured Carlson showing up to Cubs camp on Thursday. The pictures show the 27-year-old playing catch and going through some outfield practice.
If Zumach’s reporting is correct, then the Cubs would have added their third outfielder over the past two weeks. It’s apparent that the team is looking for ways to upgrade that outfield depth ahead of the 2026 season.
Carlson will have every opportunity to earn that final bench spot. Although he hasn’t made much of an impact in each of the last three seasons, the former Cardinals’ top prospect has put together strong campaigns in the past.
In 2021, the switch-hitting outfielder hit .266 with 18 home runs, 31 doubles, four triples, and 65 RBI across 149 games. Then, he hit .236 with eight home runs, 30 doubles, four triples, and 42 RBI in 128 games in 2022.
But the last few years have been a struggle for Carlson. He has finished with a negative WAR in back-to-back seasons and only batted .203 with six home runs with the Orioles last year.
Therefore, Carlson will have to prove his potential throughout Spring Training if he wants to make the Cubs’ Opening Day roster. If he doesn’t, he’ll provide much-needed outfield depth down in Triple-A.