How Freddie Freeman gift-wrapped new Cubs prospect for Jed Hoyer

It sounds as though the Chicago Cubs are using Dansby Swanson's involvement in the organization and his first full offseason in Chicago, to their utmost advantage.

In life, connections are often everything. Knowing the right person can get you knowledge of a new opportunity, or intel that you can use to your advantage. The same is undeniably true in professional sports, where insight into a player or team's skills and weaknesses can give you a huge edge and advantage.

There have been times when the temptation of acquiring information has gone too far, of course. The Astros acquired information, but at the cost of bending (and breaking) rules en route to their 2017 World Series victory.

Recently, Swanson, who signed with the Cubs last offseason, tapped into a prior connection he had with the Braves. Swanson and now-Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman were once teammates in Atlanta, and highly successful ones at that, winning a World Series in 2021.

Dansby Swanson got intel from Freddie Freeman on up-and-coming Cubs prospect

Before the Chicago Cubs acquired Michael Busch, who could realistically become a starting fixture on the big-league roster at Wrigley Field as soon as this season, Swanson got intel from his former teammate, Freeman.

Swanson stipulated that Freeman didn't give him a classic scouting report -- something that would have gone against the unspoken code of what should and shouldn't be shared outside of the Dodgers walls -- but Freeman was happy to give what Swanson (subscription required) called the "personality scouting report," giving him information on how Busch is as a teammate.

Busch was coming up through the minor league system but faced the blockade of the All-Star Freeman already entrenched in the role.

While a personality report maybe not as important as the real scouting report, most of the information a team needs on a player's performance and capabilities is openly available. What is harder to assess before you acquire a player is how they will integrate and add to the culture and locker room. So the intel, while innocent on the surface, can easily be viewed as highly valuable to the Cubs.

Dansby Swanson continues to be more than just a player for the Cubs

One of the reasons Swanson was excited to play for the Cubs was the opportunities he was afforded as more than just a player. The Cubs trust Swanson and want him to be involved in every aspect of the organization's baseball operations, inviting him into the front office in the offseason.

While Swanson has no formal title stating his authority as an executive or roster decision maker, the team has welcomed his presence in the front office throughout the offseason and given explicit value to his insight and input.

This is one more example of that, with the organization using his intel and his processing of the information he gets from his former player connections.

The Cubs expect him to play shortstop for them through 2029. But Dansby Swanson the GM? It's easy to see him moving into such a role after his playing days are done.