4 Chicago Cubs who won't be back in 2025 after Cody Bellinger contract

1. Christopher Morel is trade bait if Cubs want to improve fast

Craig Counsell's recent comments about Christopher Morel suggest that the Cubs will not be in on free-agent third baseman Matt Chapman, another Scott Boras client who much like Cody Bellinger went unsigned for far too long.

“I'd like to see him at third base,” Counsell said. “Look, Christopher's done so much with the bat that it's our job to figure out the best way to deploy him, right?"

Counsell has a good point there, as Morel has made the necessary strides at the plate to be an everyday hitter. He's one of the brightest young players the Cubs have at their disposal. He'll receive the bulk of the playing time at third base this season barring he isn't move before then. Morel has played 180 career innings at third base and has a -4 defensive runs saved in that time period. It's not a great look.

“To say he can play a lot of positions, yes,” Counsell added. “We have to play them at a certain level that it makes sense for the bat to be in there, right? And it is harder to play multiple positions – no question about it. At this point, with players around Chris, we've asked him to move around. So, I think my idea at the start of camp is to kind of focus mainly on third base."

Perhaps Morel will perform better when given more opportunities at one position, rather than being moved around the diamond to fit the Cubs needs. Still, it's fair to wonder if there's a long-term fit for him in Chicago.

Earlier this offseason, Morel was floated in trade rumors as a potential target for rebuilding teams if the Cubs wanted to make a big splash. That remains the case for Chicago, especially if they want to trade for an ace-caliber pitcher or New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who is in the final year of his deal.

If the Cubs succeed with Bellinger on this deal and are able to keep him, don't be surprised if Morel is the odd man out and featured in a trade package for another star.