The Cubs battle for the final outfield spot heats up. Could a power-hitting outcast swing into contention and bolster Chicago's lineup?
The Chicago Cubs are looking for one outfielder to step up this spring to earn that final roster spot.
With Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki locked into the three starting outfield spots to begin the year, the Cubs need one more outfielder to fill out their Opening Day roster.
Chas McCormick, Dylan Carlson, Justin Dean, and Kevin Alcantara are all currently fighting for that last outfield spot. McCormick and Carlson were both Minor League signings, Dean was claimed off waivers last month, and Alcantara is a top prospect.
Even with this ongoing battle between these four outfielders, the Cubs could look to add another outfielder to the mix. The North Siders could give someone like Jack Suwinski a hard look right now.
The Pittsburgh Pirates just recently designated Suwinski for assignment. The 27-year-old has struggled a bit in recent years, hitting a combined .169 with 12 home runs, 15 doubles, and 36 RBI since the start of the 2024 season.
However, Suwinski would bring some pop to the backend of the Cubs bench.
He ranked in the upper half of the league in barrel rate (11.8%), launch angle sweet-spot rate (35.5%), and bat speed (73.9 mph) in 2025 and is just a few seasons removed from a strong power-hitting campaign.
Back in 2023, Suwinski had a .454 slugging with 26 home runs, 21 doubles, and 74 RBI across 144 games with the Pirates. He ranked in the 94th percentile in barrel rate (15.7%), and his .465 expected slugging placed him in the 74th percentile that season.
Of course, there are concerns wth Suwinski. He has finished with a negative WAR in back-to-back seasons, has struggled with strikeouts throughout his MLB career, and is known as a poor defender in the outfield.
But with Happ, Crow-Armstrong, and Suzuki set to play every day and Matt Shaw expected to see frequent playing time in the outfield, the Cubs don’t need Suwinski to play a ton in the outfield. They just need his power to show up in key moments.
It also doesn’t hurt to bring in Suwinski to compete with those four outfielders for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The Cubs should be finding the best player to round out their roster for the 2026 season.
The Chicago native would bring some power and another left-handed bat off the bench. If it doesn’t work out, then the Cubs couldn’t easily release him or keep him in the Minors to begin the year.
Giving Suwinski a look could make some sense.