As the Cubs embark on a new campaign with a new manager (Craig Counsell) at the helm, we answer 24 of the most pressing questions for the 2024 season.

The leadoff spot has been top of mind for Cubs fans pretty much ever since Dexter Fowler left town after the 2016 World Series.

The reality is, however, that the whole idea around a leadoff hitter has changed in baseball over the last decade or so. There no longer is a cookie cutter “leadoff hitter” style while analytics, front offices and coaching staffs diminish the importance of lineup construction as a whole.

Instead, teams simply opt to give their best hitters the most at-bats and the leadoff spot comes up to the plate most often throughout a season. Look at Mookie Betts on the Dodgers or Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Braves.

There are other important elements of the role — setting the table for the rest of the lineup, establishing a tone in a game, seeing pitches to give teammates a look at that day’s opposition. And it can be a mental adjustment for players who are used to hitting lower in the order and may feel as if they have to change their approach.

“Players are humans,” Craig Counsell said. “So naturally, we all have things that we want to do and like to do and are uncomfortable doing. Certainly, understanding all that is important and you factor it in for sure.

“I mean, we’re managing humans and that’s real. So it matters, yeah. But also I think there’s a pretty good indication that just going to have a good at-bat [works]. Once you step in the box, just go have a good at-bat.”

Last season, the Cubs began the year with Nico Hoerner as the team’s leadoff hitter before he gave way to Mike Tauchman in June. Christopher Morel (14), Nick Madrigal (6), Ian Happ (2), Miles Mastrobuoni (2) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (1) also started games at the No. 1 spot in the lineup.

Counsell has stated several times this spring he doesn’t want to focus too much on how the Cubs’ batting order shakes out.

“I think we make too much of lineups,” Counsell said. “Ultimately, we want a lot of good hitters to go have great at-bats. And that’s how we’re going to score runs. Of course, at points, we’re going to line them up in a way where they can kind of protect each other.

“And that’s when you’re talking about the left-right stuff so that we don’t get matchups later in the game that make it easy for the other side and somebody who’s really good at one thing. But overall, we just need to get our good hitters a lot of at-bats.”

Hoerner fits the bill as more of a classic leadoff hitter with his speed and baserunning. He stole 43 bases last season, more than twice as many as the next-closest player (Cody Bellinger – 20).

Hoerner also posted a .346 on-base percentage and scored 98 runs, serving as a table-setter for the rest of the lineup.

Meanwhile, the Cubs really liked how the lineup looked when Tauchman came on in the middle of the summer. The veteran outfielder put up a .363 OBP and worked a lot of long at-bats, most often hitting in front of Hoerner, Happ and Bellinger.

Tauchman has already earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and will suit up against right-handed pitchers either in the outfield or in the DH mix.

Early in the spring before he injured his hamstring, Happ was penciled into the leadoff spot in the Cubs order a few times in Cactus League contests. He does have some experience (81 games) leading off in the past but has more often hit in the middle of the order throughout his MLB career.

Happ is willing to hit wherever in the Cubs order this season.

“That’s up to the manager — whatever he thinks is the best lineup construction,” Happ said. “I’m open to it. I don’t think you’re gonna see the same lineup run out there for the first 10 games of the season.

“There’s probably gonna be some figuring out exactly what this looks like with our group and with Counsell as manager. But wherever he wants me to hit, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Happ hit the nail on the head — the Cubs and Counsell will likely mix and match with the leadoff spot throughout the 2024 season. But expect to see Hoerner, Happ and Tauchman all taking their turn atop the order.

24 for ’24 series

What are the Cubs expecting from Kyle Hendricks in 2024 and beyond?
What role will Drew Smyly fill on the 2024 Cubs?
How will Jameson Taillon fare in Year 2 with Cubs?
How will Shota Imanaga handle the adjustment to MLB?
Who will DH for the Cubs?
Who is the Cubs’ fifth starter?
Will defense once again be the Cubs’ strength?
Can Seiya Suzuki pick up where he left off? 
What are the Cubs’ long-term plans at first base?
Have the Cubs done enough to address their left-handed hitting?
Will Justin Steele replicate his stellar 2023 season?
When will Pete Crow-Armstrong be up with the Cubs in Chicago?
Will Adbert Alzolay be Cubs’ closer again?
Who will hit leadoff?