Cubs remain linked for infield depth

Brad Penner - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Monday, February 17 2025

Now that Alex Bregman has officially signed with the Boston Red Sox, Matt Shaw not only becomes the favorite to win the third base job, as he has for most of the offseason, but will also be given a long leash, as this job is his to lose. That is promising when you look at the current state of the Cubs roster, as it does seem like the Cubs are getting to the point where they will trust their prospects more than in the past.

However, given that Shaw is currently dealing with an oblique injury and whether or not Nico Hoerner will be ready for opening day, there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding this infield and what it could look like on opening day. Sure, the Cubs do have some depth should either of those guys miss time, but does Jon Berti, Vidal Brujan, Nicky Lopez, or Gage Workman scare you?

The answer is no, as those are the main bench options for the Cubs at this point. As unlikely as it is that the Cubs will take a swing and make another big move, the Cubs are still going to monitor the free agent or trade market for potential infield depth players. Justin Turner remains mostly connected to the Cubs, as he would be the perfect addition to the team's backup first and third basemen.

As logical a fit as that may be, Turner is still north of 40, and the Cubs may not be willing to pay for his services despite his consistent production. Paul DeJong and Luis Urias were linked to the Cubs earlier this season, but DeJong is looking for a multi-year deal where he could start, while Urias has been nonexistent at the plate most of the past three seasons.

With those names likely off the table, what does that leave the Cubs for potential infield options? Well, three names have been linked to the Cubs recently, and all of them could be had via the trade market.

The first of those names is New York Yankees utility infielder Oswaldo Cabrera, who has shown the ability to be either a starter or utility-like player.

It's no secret that the Cubs and Yankees have a long history of making trades, so don't put it past these two to pick up the talks again. The Cubs have already traded Cody Bellinger to the Yankees earlier this offseason, which is why they could come back to the table and ask for Cabrera for depth purposes.

A career .233 hitter across three big league seasons, the 25-year-old Cabrera is coming off his most productive season as proof and hit a career-best 247 with eight homes and 36 RBIs in 108 games. That's all you can ask from a reserve-type player, as he is someone you could move all across the diamond.

Sticking with the Big Apple, you will find the next name mentioned as a fit for the Cubs in New York Mets infielder Brett Baty. Like the Yankees, the Cubs and Mets have gotten together for trades in the past, but given how the Javier Baez trade ended up with the Cubs landing Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets may be a bit more hesitant to deal with the Cubs again.

Baty is a mystery heading into the 2025 season, especially since Pete Alonso resigned with the Mets. Initially expected to take over first before that deal, Baty is now looking at going back to third base, but given his offensive struggles, he could be viewed as a depth piece if he even makes the Mets roster out of camp.

Like Cabrera, Baty is a 25-year-old infielder who has been in the league for three seasons. A .215 hitter for his career, Baty hit a career-high .229 in 2024 but was limited to just 50 games. He hit four homers and drove in 16 during those games, after hitting nine homers and 34 RBIs the year before. Baty is one of those players with loads of potential, but he could be one of those players in desperate need of a change in scenery.

The final potential trade piece mentioned with the Cubs is the most intriguing option in Minnesota Twins infielder Willi Castro. The soon-to-be 28-year-old infielder has been primarily a utility player most of his career but has seen a massive increase in playing time over the past few seasons. That included a career-high 158 games in 2024, where Castro hit .247 with 12 homers and 60 RBIs.

Apart from the average, the rest of his numbers were career highs in production, as he added 14 stolen bases after swiping 33 the year before. Castro to the Cubs may not seem like it makes a ton of sense, but when you look at the Twins current financial situation, it is worth discussing.

Minnesota has been public about its struggling financial efforts within the organization and has been trying to unload some of its bigger contracts. While Castro doesn't have a big contract, a trade with the Cubs could help the Twins land some younger pieces in return for helping with a potential rebuild, should it get that far.