3 Juan Soto backup plans the Cubs can sign that won't break the bank

On the list of MLB team payrolls, the Chicago Cubs are listed as spending the seventh highest amount in 2024. Despite their rather heavy investments, they haven’t seen much success. The Cubbies finished the season 10 games back of the Brewers for the NL Central crown and six games out of the Wild Card round. Each of the six teams that spent more than the Cubs made the postseason.

The Cubs have not made the postseason since 2020 and haven’t won a postseason game since 2017. This places president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manger Carter Hawkins squarely in the hot seat. But even as the they seem desperate to reach a postseason after having spent so much, the top free agents are reportedly not an option for the Cubs. As the general managers’ meeting concluded, the main takeaway from Hoyer and Hawkins was that they intend to stick to budgetary constraints as outlined by the Ricketts family.

While many a Wrigleyville dream had swirled around adding Juan Soto, it is now clear Hoyer and Hawkins have no intention of bringing him to the Friendly Confines. While Soto and the other elite options are out, there are some other decent and underrated free agents on the market.

To clarify, there is not an option that will replace a target as valuable as Soto on the current market, but the Cubs can sign numerous inexpensive players hoping that multiple players are better than one. Let’s explore three such names that can give the Cubs some flexibility.

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Among the sluggers on the market this offseason is a somewhat overlooked name. Tyler O’Neill hit 31 home runs in 2024 through only 411 at-bats, slashing .241/.336/.511/.847. The main reason for any skepticism in signing O’Neill would be his frequent injuries. In his seven-year career, O’Neill has never seen 500 at-bats in a single season topping out at 482 in 2021. However, that season, he flashed his true slugging potential with 34 home runs and a .286 batting average coming in eighth place in the NL MVP voting. On the glove side, he won his second of two Gold Gloves.

While there is an obvious downside, the main allure of signing O’Neill is his pure slugging ability. But there is more to be wary of.

Another downside would be O’Neill’s lack of success against righties. O’Neill hit .209 with 15 long balls in 283 at-bats against right-handers in 2024. In addition, no matter who he faces, he accumulates an astounding number of strikeouts. His 159 strikeouts in 2024 give him a strikeout percentage of 33.6. Nonetheless, striking out at a high click is nothing unusual for power hitters and his home run total off righthanders is still impressive.

Because of his injuries and his mixed performance, O’Neill won’t be an expensive addition.
However, if O’Neill can stay healthy, he may return to the MVP discussion. And despite the risk, the opportunity to sign a potent slugger at a rock-bottom price should be hard to pass on. If signed, he can bring much-needed power to a Cubs team that only hit 170 home runs in 2024.

Joc Pederson played for the Cubs during their 2021 campaign before the being traded to the Braves. The former Dodgers and Braves postseason hero is coming off a resurgent year with the Arizona Diamondbacks that saw him slash .275/.393/.515/.908 with 23 home runs. Off the bat, you’ll notice some staggering numbers like the .393 OBP or the .908 OPS, but there is a catch. Pederson saw 367 at-bats in 2024, only 32 of which came against lefties. Pederson’s niche is as a platoon player and a righty-hammer. This is why his career-high .275 average towers over most of his other seasonal averages.

Among the downsides, besides his struggles against southpaws, would be his defense. Pederson didn’t play the field at all in 2024. No matter who signs him, he would most likely be relegated to the DH role. Since the Cubs don’t seem to have a dedicated DH, a reunion with Pederson makes perfect sense.

Probably the biggest selling point to any club eyeing Pederson would be his postseason heroics. In 195 postseason at-bats, Pederson maintains a postseason batting average of .256 with 12 home runs, several of which proved decisive in tough games. Pederson may never be named MVP, but his bat can substantially improve the Cubs’ lineup for a rather low sum and bring them into a glorious ”Joctober”.

Rumor has it the Cubs are in the market for a starter. If true, there is one bargain that every team should be in on. Japanese ace and arguably the best pitcher in the NPB, Roki Sasaki, will be packing his 100+MPH heater and bringing it to America. Sasaki is coming off a year where he pitched to a 2.35 ERA with 129 strikeouts over 111 innings. As good as it sounds, 2024 was actually the worst showing of his 4-year career. His career ERA in the NPB stands at 2.02. Sasaki threw a perfect game in 2022 and tied the NPB single-game strike out record of 19 in the process.

One would think the 23-year-old Sasaki was coming to land a massive payday like Yoshinobu Yamamoto. However, a player at his age with his lack of experience is subject to the MLB international amateur signing bonus pool rules. Because of this, Sasaki can only be signed to a minor league contract which means his pay is capped.

This also means that money will not be a deciding factor in negotiations. Sasaki has listed "stability, lifestyle, comfort and a team’s track record with player development" as requirements for his suitor. According to Jake Misener of Cubbies Crib, the Cubs are a great match. The Cubs have both Seiya Suzuki and Team Japan teammate Shota Imanaga which may help in wooing Sasaki. Nonetheless, Sasaki will make his own decision and there isn’t much contract-wise any team can do to lure him in.