The Cubs are continuing to build out their outfield depth ahead of spring training, adding another veteran to the mix as Dylan Carlson has agreed to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp. He’ll be joining Chas McCormick-who signed a similar deal earlier this offseason-in Mesa, Arizona, where both will be competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Carlson, now 27, enters camp with something to prove. Once viewed as a cornerstone piece in St.
Louis, he was famously the player the Cardinals reportedly refused to include in a potential Juan Soto trade with the Nationals. That moment may have defined the peak of his perceived value, because since then, his bat has struggled to keep pace with expectations.
His best season came back in 2021, when he posted a .266/.343/.437 slash line with 18 home runs and a 111 wRC+, showing flashes of the switch-hitting upside that made him a top prospect. But since then, it’s been a steady decline.
Last season, Carlson appeared in 83 games with the Orioles and hit just .203/.278/.336, good for a 74 wRC+. That’s a tough line to carry into a major league role, but the Cubs are banking on the possibility that a change of scenery-and a healthy spring-could help him rediscover some of that earlier form.
Carlson’s splits do offer a bit of intrigue. As a right-handed hitter facing lefties, he’s been noticeably better throughout his career, posting a 113 wRC+ and .757 OPS.
Against right-handed pitching, that number drops to an 83 wRC+ and .655 OPS. That kind of platoon advantage could give the Cubs a bit of flexibility, especially when it comes to managing the workload of young center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
If Carlson can handle center in a part-time role and provide some offense against lefties, there’s a path to value here.
The financial side of the deal reflects his current standing-Carlson can earn up to $3 million with incentives, per Jon Heyman. It’s a low-risk move for the Cubs, with the potential for modest upside if Carlson can hold his own in a bench role or serve as a reliable depth piece in Iowa.
This move, along with the earlier signing of McCormick, likely signals that top prospect Kevin Alcántara will begin the season at Triple-A. There had been some speculation that Alcántara, especially after the trade of Owen Caissie, might slide into the fourth outfielder role to open the year. But with two veterans now in camp, the Cubs seem to be leaning toward giving Alcántara regular at-bats in Iowa rather than sporadic playing time off the big-league bench.
Ultimately, this is about building competition and depth. Carlson may not be the flashiest name, and his recent production doesn’t jump off the page, but he’s still young and has shown he can contribute at the big league level when things are clicking.
For a team trying to balance youth development with veteran stability, bringing in a player like Carlson on a minor league deal makes plenty of sense. If he clicks, great.
If not, the Cubs have other options. That’s how you build a roster with staying power over a 162-game grind.