Arizona Dispatch
Checking in from the Cactus League
I’m fresh off of a visit to spring training in Arizona, which is something I hope every baseball fan gets to experience at some point. It’s refreshing for a Midwesterner like me to get away from the cold weather for a little while, but even more refreshing to be around baseball in a more relaxed environment. Going to a game during the regular season is a special experience, but being around a team in February and early March when they’re not playing in games that have a direct impact on the regular season gives you a different perspective.
There are the same storylines every spring, questions of who might get the last couple of roster spots, how the bullpen is going to take shape, and all of that. The funny thing about those questions is that typically within a few weeks of the start of the season, they don’t matter. Someone gets hurt, someone underperforms, other unanticipated needs pop up, and that roster that looked so set at the end of March gets changed.
But as things stand, here are a few things over the long term to keep an eye on from Cubs camp:
Justin Steele is progressing ahead of schedule, but don’t look for him to return before the end of May or early June. He probably could come back sooner, but he made it a point on Sunday to say that he’s going to slow-play the return because he wants to be at his sharpest for the playoffs in October.
Utilityman Matt Shaw. He lost his full-time job at third base when the Cubs signed Alex Bregman, but Shaw has been getting looks in right field and second base this spring. Manager Craig Counsell said they are making a point to give him as many innings in those spots as possible to get Shaw ready to move around defensively. I talked to Shaw about this on Saturday, and he’s embracing the new role. I’ll have something written on that at CHGO later this week, so keep an eye out.
Both Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon have looked a little wobbly this spring. I saw Imanaga get tagged for three home runs against the White Sox on Sunday, and Taillon get lit up by the Reds on Monday. Nothing to panic about yet because both guys are veterans with good track records, but it’s worth monitoring.
The Cubs’ farm system is still a little sparse, but one guy who probably will get a look at the major league level at some point this season is Jaxon Wiggins. He has a live arm, and I got to see him pitch in his first big league spring start on Thursday against the Angels. The line in the box score isn’t pretty, but he was throwing a lot of fastballs. Look for him to keep working on incorporating his breaking pitch.
Cubs in the World Baseball Classic. Namely, Matt Boyd, Alex Bregman, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Team USA plays their first exhibition game today (Tuesday) against the Giants, and Boyd is expected to pitch. In the last WBC, the United States lost the championship game to Japan when Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout. Epic stuff.
There are a few weeks of spring training left, and new storylines will inevitably pop up, but the biggest question for the Cubs going into 2026 is whether they can at least replicate last year’s success. I can tell you there’s a different energy around the team this spring compared to even a year ago, but the season is long and full of twists and turns.
Things I’ve Done Lately:
Linked above, but read about Justin Steele. The guy is energized to be making his way back to the mound but also wisely careful about not rushing things. He wants the postseason innings.
Kevin Alcantara is another Cubs prospect to keep an eye on. I saw him make his spring debut on Saturday, and you can read his comments on his at-bats here.
Matt Boyd talked about his spring and how it’s been impacted by pitching in the WBC. I love his mindset about even the spring games.
What I’m Digging Right Now:
On my flight home to Chicago, I watched this Roberto Clemente documentary. He died ten years before I was born, but he’s been a favorite of mine since I was a kid.
I just read Wendell Berry’s essay “Think Little.” Written in 1970, but it remains fully apropos.
I got to see the ABS challenge system in action while in Arizona, and it seems to work well and quickly. Here’s Jayson Stark on what to expect from it.