3 moves the Chicago Cubs need to make after the lockout

Shortstop

Javier Baez has taken his magic tricks to the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs will need to address the shortstop position.

The Chicago Cubs have had a question mark at the shortstop position even since they traded away Javier Baez at the trade deadline last season. The initial speculation was that the Cubs would afford Nico Hoerner every opportunity to takeover as the full-time shortstop. Hoerner has yet to have a full season at the Major League level and 2022 figures to be an important year for the Cubs’ 2018 first round draft selection.

While Hoerner will likely be an everyday player for the Cubs in 2022, there is a growing sense that he could receive his playing time as more of a utility player for the Cubs. During his stints with the team in 2020 and 2021, Hoerner has proven that he is capable of playing multiple positions including second base and center field. With the Cubs having no clear center fielder, it is certainly possible that Hoerner receives a bulk of his playing time in the outfield next season.

Prior to the lockout, there was a sense that the Cubs were looking to address the shortstop position as they were connected to free agent Carlos Correa. Correa is the top free agent shortstop available but his aligning with super agent Scott Boras and asking price of over $330 million may move him out of the Cubs’ plans. A fallback option for the Cubs could be veteran shortstop Trevor Story.