"Recently, the Cubs claimed a speed and defense guy for depth in Justin Dean, and signed two bounce-back types in Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson. Add them together with Kevin Alcantara, and you have a reasonably decent mix of guys to compete for the 4th outfielder job in Spring Training, plus a good chance at keeping a few of them around at Iowa as depth for the year ahead."
"But, much like with the rotation discussion and free agent Zac Gallen, it's not as if you have to work TOO HARD to talk yourself into wanting one more quality bat for the bench group. Injuries happen. Bounce-back types don't always (or even typically) bounce back. Depth players tend to be depth for a reason. And not everyone can succeed coming off the bench anyway."
The Cubs added Justin Dean, Chas McCormick, Dylan Carlson, and have Kevin Alcantara competing for the fourth outfielder role, creating usable depth for Chicago and at Iowa. Tyler Austin offers a bench bat option and can play a corner outfield spot; Matt Shaw projects as a super-utility option and Jonathon Long could cover left field in an emergency. The group provides defensive speed and bounce-back upside but carries typical risks: injuries, inconsistent bounce-backs, and bench limitations. Team officials signaled willingness to exceed the $244 million luxury-tax threshold, with payroll projections above $243 million.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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