Closure finally came for the Cubs and Kyle Tucker when Chicago used the No. 75 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on first baseman Myles Bailey.
The selection wrapped up the last piece of Tucker’s exit, even if the major turning point had already arrived when he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bailey gives the Cubs another left-handed bat to dream on, and he arrives with a profile built around power.
He’s projected as a three-true outcome hitter, which means the strikeouts will be part of the package, but he also stands out as one of the better left-handed power hitters in the draft. If Chicago can help trim some of the swing-and-miss, there’s real upside for a player who could grow into a 40-home-run threat at the big-league level.
That kind of pop matters for a club that has learned lately that left-handed sluggers are not easy to find.
Tucker’s path out of Chicago was shaped by a trade that the Cubs clearly wanted to make. Jed Hoyer was in the final year of his contract, and the pressure around the organization was obvious if the team failed to reach the playoffs last season. The early returns on Tucker were strong, but the fit eventually frayed.
Even so, the Cubs got something out of the gamble from the start. They targeted Tucker before the 2025 season knowing he was headed toward free agency, and there was never any real indication the team planned to lock him up long term. Still, because he was eligible for a qualifying offer, Chicago was positioned to gain a draft pick when he left.
The trade itself came with a heavy price. The Cubs sent 2024 first-round pick Cam Smith, All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes, and controllable pitcher Hayden Wesneski in the deal.
There’s also a little irony in the timing. The final details of Tucker’s departure were settled only weeks before the 2026 trade deadline, and once again the Cubs are expected to be active in the market for starting pitching.
If they make a move, it could resemble the kind of aggressive swing they took for Tucker. Hoyer’s future isn’t hanging in the balance this time, but with what’s coming after this season, there’s still a case for Chicago to be just as bold.
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