Earlier this week, the Chicago Cubs officially announced their non-roster invitees for Spring Training. 18 players received non-roster invites, including a few top prospects and a couple of veterans who signed Minor League deals this offseason. 

The full list of non-roster invites:

Every year, there is at least one Cubs player who makes the Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee. Last season, Matt Shaw went from a non-roster invitee to making the team out of Spring Training. 

So, who has the best chance of being that player this year? Here are the three players who could crack the Opening Day roster from the list above. 

The Cubs signed Thornton to a Minor League deal in late January following a poor 2025 season. He finished with a 4.68 ERA across 42 ⅓ innings pitched and then tore his Achilles in late July. 

But with potentially one bullpen spot still up for grabs, Thornton could make the Opening Day roster. Part of his uphill battle is ensuring he is 100% healthy following the Achilles injury. These injuries could take between nine and 12 months to heal. 

While there is a slim shot that Thornton makes the roster out of Spring Training, he has shown in the past to be a reliable bullpen arm. He had a 2.01 ERA across 31 ⅓ innings pitched in 2023 and maintained a 3.61 ERA across 71 ⅓ innings pitched in 2024. 

The fourth outfield spot is still up for grabs. McCormick, Carlson, Justin Dean, and Kevin Alcantara are all currently battling for that final bench spot heading into the 2026 season. So, there’s a good chance that either McCormick or Carlson makes the Opening Day roster. 

The Cubs signed McCormick to a Minor League deal in late January to bolster their outfield depth. The 30-year-old has struggled with injuries in each of the past two years, but posted solid numbers in his last full season in 2023. 

During that 2023 campaign, McCormick hit .273 with 22 home runs, 17 doubles, 70 RBI, and 19 stolen bases across 115 games. He finished that season with a career-best 3.4 WAR while playing solid defense in the outfield. 

If McCormick can stay healthy this spring, he’ll have a good shot to earn that fourth outfield spot out of Cubs camp. The veteran is also good friends with Alex Bregman, dating back to their days in Houston.  

Carlson will enter Spring Training with a shot to make the Opening Day roster. The Cubs officially signed Carlson to a Minor League deal in late January in hopes of finding a diamond in the rough. 

Carlson was once a top prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals, but has struggled to make an impact at the Major League level in recent seasons. The 27-year-old has hit a combined .210 with 14 home runs, 24 doubles, and 72 RBI across the past three years. 

Although the numbers haven’t been there recently for Carlson, a change of scenery could help him. This is a player who finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting back in 2021. A good spring showing could give him the inside edge at winning that fourth outfield spot.