After consecutive 83-79 seasons and missing out on the playoffs both times, the Cubs are beginning one of their most crucial winters in recent years. As the hot stove season kicks off in earnest, we analyze the Cubs depth chart at each position and how Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office might address the team’s needs.

Next up: Right field

DEPTH CHART

1. Cody Bellinger
2. Seiya Suzuki
3. Mike Tauchman
4. Alexander Canario
5. Owen Caissie
6. Kevin Alcántara

ANALYSIS

Suzuki opened the 2024 season as the Cubs’ everyday right fielder with Bellinger in center, Pete Crow-Armstrong in the minors and Tauchman as a bench bat.

But as the season wore on, things shifted. Crow-Armstrong took the everyday role in center field, pushing Bellinger and Suzuki to switch off in right and at DH.

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After Bellinger returned from the IL in late July, he spent a couple weeks as the DH before progressing enough with his broken finger to play right field on a daily basis from mid-August on.

The last game Suzuki started in right field was on Aug. 24 in Miami. He spent the rest of the time serving as the Cubs regular DH.

With Bellinger back in the mix again this offseason, expect the Cubs to roll out a very similar lineup. Suzuki’s defensive metrics have never been great during his time in the big leagues while Bellinger won a Gold Glove playing in right field in 2019.

[MORE: Projecting the 2025 Cubs roster]

Given that Suzuki took to the DH role just fine, this lineup provides the most optimal group offensively and defensively for the Cubs.

And since Bellinger and Suzuki have each missed at least a month over the last 2 seasons, the Cubs feel good about their depth in right field. Tauchman and youngsters like Caissie, Canario and Alcántara provide depth.

Caissie can play both outfield corner spots and has proven about all he needs to do in the minor leagues with an .848 OPS and 19 homers during a strong 2024 campaign in Triple-A.

Canario is out of minor-league options so the Cubs either need to trade him or carry him on the 26-man roster all year. They cannot option him to the minor leagues without first passing him through waivers and some team would undoubtedly claim the 24-year-old top prospect.

Alcántara got his first taste of MLB action in the final week of the 2024 campaign. The 22-year-old slashed .278/.353/.428 (.781 OPS) with 14 homers and 14 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A last season.

There is also the possibility that this group looks different. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal is reporting the Cubs are exploring a potential trade of Bellinger this offseason:

That would clear a pathway for more at-bats for Caissie, Canario and Alcántara.

WHAT’S NEXT?

If Bellinger remains in Chicago, will he play more like the MVP candidate he was in 2023 when he posted a .307 AVG, .881 OPS and 26 homers? Or will he hit more like the 2024 version when he sported a .751 OPS and 18 homers?

The overall success of the Cubs offense in 2025 may hinge on the answer to that question.

Looking big picture, right field may be a bit of a revolving door for the Cubs over the next couple of seasons. Bellinger is under contract through 2026 but he could once again opt out after the 2025 campaign and become a free agent.

Suzuki is also signed for the next 2 years but will he settle in as the team’s full-time DH over the span?

[WATCH: Exclusive interview with Pete Crow-Armstrong on offseason, Bellinger’s return to Cubs and more]

Caissie looks like the heir apparent to right field when Bellinger is gone. He’s a left-handed hitter with power and a strong control of the strike zone and the Cubs have been impressed by his overall athleticism.

At some point in 2025, Caissie may force the issue and find his way into the Chicago lineup in the outfield or at DH. That could be due to injury or simply manager Craig Counsell would have to play matchups to rotate players through the outfield and DH spots (as well as Bellinger possibly seeing some time at first base).

The big question in the Cubs outfield is: What will the team decide to do with Canario and Alcántara?

As we mentioned, Canario is out of minor-league options, creating a tricky roster situation. He will only be 25 in May and despite struggling with injuries in recent seasons, he is not far removed from a 2022 campaign in which he hit 37 homers and stole 23 bases in the minors. It would be hard to part with a player like that but it also wouldn’t be the best situation for Canario to sit on the bench and play only sporadically in the big leagues.

Alcántara can begin the year in Triple-A, where he only has 35 games of experience at that level. But his best position is center field and Crow-Armstrong appears to have that locked down in Chicago for the next half-decade. Does Alcántara also become trade bait or does he represent a corner outfield solution when Bellinger, Suzuki and Happ depart?

BOTTOM LINE

The Cubs have a host of options in right field, though Bellinger is expected to take the majority of playing time. But what version of Bellinger will we see in 2025 and can he stay healthy?

State of the Cubs series
Catcher
First base
Second base
Third base
Shortstop
Left field
Center field
Right field: Nov. 22
DH: Nov. 25
Starting rotation: Nov. 26
Bullpen: Nov. 27