8 Cubs players who will be gone from the 40-man roster this winter

To maximize the value of the increasing number of elite prospects knocking on the door in Iowa and to shake up a roster that underperformed this year while working around multiple players locked in for the long run, the Chicago Cubs will need to display a level of creativity we haven’t seen in Wrigleyville in a while.

This implies that the 40-man may be shaken up rather dramatically, either by way of free agents leaving or by way of players the Cubs, ostensibly, should let go of. Some candidates may even end up getting cut from the mix. Now let’s get started. These eight players may lose their spots on the 40-man roster.

A pair of backup infielders who haven’t delivered at the big league level

Now is the right moment. Honestly, though, the time has arrived, passed, and will soon return. The Chicago Cubs have no need to hold onto Nick Madrigal and Miles Mastrobuoni past 2025.

A left pinky fracture ended Madrigal’s season, but even in good health, it’s easy to see what a former top prospect he is—someone who could use a change of environment. In the disastrous 2021 Craig Kimbrel deal, he left the Cubs and their South Side rivals losers, and he never was able to duplicate what he did early in his career with the White Sox.

Even coming off the bench, a.221/.280/.256 line in 51 games isn’t going to cut it. The former Oregon State star was roughly 20% below average at the plate even in his greatest season with the Cubs, and this year he made more poor contact than ever before in his career. Time to move on, please.

Mastrobuoni, on the other hand, doesn’t play at all, but he does provide some defensive versatility. This season, his OPS+ of 34 is significantly lower than his career average of 53. To be honest, James Triantos, who possesses an above-average hit tool, is ready and waiting for the Cubs if they need a versatile bench player. Make the decision and use your preferred bench option to produce real results.