The Chicago Cubs have performed at a high level so far in spring training. They top Cactus League standings with a mark of 6-0, with a lot of offensive production from several of the team's top prospects.
The Cubs look good but still have question marks before the Opening Day roster. While several players don't have to worry about their jobs this spring, a few do. Let's look at the three Cubs with the most to lose in spring training.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
3. Julian Merryweather
No. 1 on this list is the first of two pitchers without a minor league option remaining on their contract, Julian Merryweather. After a successful 2023 in a Cubs uniform, Merryweather's 2024 campaign was derailed due to multiple 60-day IL stints for a shoulder strain and knee tendinitis. In total, Merryweather tossed just 15 innings last season, and the results were insignificant. His 6.60 ERA was only the second-worst posting of his career, after his 6.75 in a bit larger sample size in 2022.
Still, the only season that Merryweather surpassed north of 30 innings was 2023. Although this 3.70 FIP in 2024 was absurdly lower than his ERA, Merryweather needs to prove he can stay healthy and be as efficient as he was two years ago when he recorded a 3.38 ERA in 72 frames. He still has two more years on his rookie deal, so if he is cut, it will likely at least fetch the Cubs a low-level via trade prospect before he clears waivers.
2. Keegan Thompson
The next pitcher on this list runs into the same fate as Merryweather. Keegan Thompson is out of minor league options this year, and it's either big league team or bust for his tenure in the Chicago Cubs' organization. With success in his past, as recently as 2024, Thompson comes with three more seasons of team control, and even though he is out of options, he is a somewhat viable trade chip.
If the Cubs had to go with one or the other, it's probably Thompson, who posted a 2.67 ERA in 2024 in 30.1 IP. In his four-year big league career, Thompson owns a 3.64 era, but having all three options burned at this point makes things tricky for the Cubs. He is in the very definition of a bullpen battle because if you go off last year's numbers, there are guys that are "more deserving" of shot.
Some players like Eli Morgan, Nate Pearson, and Porter Hodge still have options. Thompson will need to earn his spot just like anybody else. There's nowhere else for him to go but off of the roster.
3. Javier Assad
Last season, Javier Assad put up a respectful 3.73 ERA in the fifth spot of the Cubs' starting rotation. The issue with Assad was there were many red flags. His ERA sat below 4.00 because of a fantastic first 12 starts in which he recorded a 2.57 ERA. In the second half of the season, his ERA plummeted to a 4.38 ERA (4.80 FIP), and he routinely found himself unable to get deep into ballgames. From the beginning of June to the end of the season, Assad managed to get through at least six innings just four times while failing to record even fine innings eight times in that span.
The log jam and Assad still having minor-league options make him an interesting case that fans should keep an eye on. If he has an abysmal spring, it makes the front office's job a bit easier determining who gets a spot on the roster. If anything, his place in the starting rotation is far from locked up. He has yet to pitch in a spring training game due to an oblique injury sustained on the first day of camp.