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MLB Rumors: Cubs look eager to keep Christopher Morel, not trade him

Christopher Morel has been mentioned as a major trade chip for the Chicago Cubs all offseason. He was at the center of initial Juan Soto rumors. He was copiously cited as the key to replacing Cody Bellinger via trade. But now, the tune is changing. The Cubs might keep the 24-year-old, who has five years of team control left on his contract.

"The Cubs aren’t going to give up Morel for a one-year rental player when he’s not positioned to become a free agent until after the 2028 season" writes Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. "That doesn’t mean Morel is untouchable, but his future in Chicago could be different with [Craig] Counsell."

Chicago already made one of the offseason's biggest splashes when Craig Counsell signed the largest managerial contract in MLB history to leave the Milwaukee Brewers for their NL Central rival. Counsell has a remarkable track record when it comes to the development of young players. Morel spent a lot of time as DH last season, but Mooney argues it's too soon to typecast such a young, athletic player in that role.

Morel has the potential to oscillate between several positions, most notably in the outfield. The Cubs could soon lose Bellinger, whose bat and glove were essential to the team's success in 2023. Jed Hoyer compared Morel to Kris Bryant and Bellinger; Counsell drew the line from Morel to Mookie Betts. The Cubs just have to peg where Morel can most successfully and sustainably operate in the field.

"He’s put himself in a position where he needs to be in the lineup,” Counsell told The Athletic. “He needs to be on the field. That’s a good thing. Now where? That’s what we have to figure out. To sit here [in December] and say we’ve got to have it figured out? Or that he might be a versatile piece? Like, yeah, I mean, Mookie Betts was a versatile piece for a pretty good team."

It's probably a slight exaggeration to proclaim MVP upside for Morel, but he slashed .247/.313/.508 with 26 home runs and 70 RBIs in 388 ABs last season — his third MLB campaign. He's extremely young with a hard-hit percentage (50.0) in the MLB's 92nd percentile, per Baseball Savant. The dude gets the barrel on the ball, and he's probably part of the Cubs' future, not their past.