In a few weeks, we’ll be running a two-team mock expansion draft here at MLBTR – just for the fun of it! Currently, we’re creating 15-player protected lists for each of the existing 30 teams. You can catch up on the rules for player eligibility here.
So far, we’ve covered the Diamondbacks, Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Rangers, Mariners, Athletics, Angels, Astros, Twins, Royals, Tigers, Indians, White Sox, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles. The Cubs are up next.
First, we’ll remove free agents Jon Lester, Daniel Descalso, Tyler Chatwood, Jose Quintana, Jeremy Jeffress, and Steven Souza from consideration. I’ll assume Anthony Rizzo’s $16.5MM club option is exercised and the Cubs use a protected spot on him. I’ll lock in Jason Heyward, Craig Kimbrel, and Yu Darvish due to their no-trade clauses. We’ll protect these 11 players out of the gate:
Anthony Rizzo
Jason Heyward
Craig Kimbrel
Yu Darvish
Nico Hoerner
Kyle Hendricks
Kris Bryant
Javier Baez
Willson Contreras
Ian Happ
Kyle Schwarber
That leaves four spots for 17 remaining players:
Albert Almora Jr.
Adbert Alzolay
David Bote
Victor Caratini
Jharel Cotton
Robel Garcia
Dillon Maples
Alec Mills
James Norwood
Colin Rea
Kyle Ryan
Casey Sadler
Ryan Tepera
Duane Underwood Jr.
Rowan Wick
Brad Wieck
Dan Winkler
With that, we turn it over to the MLBTR readership! In the poll below (direct link here), select exactly four players you think the Cubs should protect in our upcoming mock expansion draft. Click here to view the results.
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Umm. Who scored higher on their SATs?
Great response !
Outside of the top 5-6 on the protected keepers I unfortunately have to say…yuck. Adbert and maybe Caratini but they already are catcher rich so maybe only keep him for trade bait?
Alzolay and Caratini. Uh… I guess Almora and Underwood? Yikes. I don’t know for 3 and 4.
why is Steele on the list, may I ask?
That’s a mistake on my part, thanks for noticing. I’ll fix it.
no problemo. by the way, o think Payamps and Takashaki from the D-Backs also didnt get any service time last year.
If the cubs are leaving Heyward protected this point is moot.
They have to with his no trade clause.
If you read the article you would understand why Heyward is protected. Funny how that works
Caratini, Alzolay, Wick, and Almora if I have to pick a 4th.
Caratini for sure, followed by Wick.
After that, two of: Wieck, Ryan or Mills.
And Almora would be the first one, I’d recall , if that’s possible.
Sounds good dogbone!
I got Caratini, Alzolay, Bote and Wieck.
I will take my chances losing Wick in the draft and confident Almora will be passed on, but for sure they will take Bote since he can play all around the infield.
I am keeping Wieck because he is a power lefty that show signs of turning the corner when he came to the Cubs, it is a gamble but I think it is worth it.
There really aren’t any slam dunks on that list. Caratini and Alzolay are probables, and I did have Bote as well, but based on the fact that he was extended (head scratcher) and his stock has fallen ever since, maybe hope he gets drafted to save payroll? As for #4 just throw a dart at the list which is pretty depressing when you look at it.
Caratini, Ryan, Bote, Mills
That’s my list too. But blah its an ugly list.
Caratini,Alzolay,Bote. Can I just forfeit my 4th pick ? I quit lol
Shoeless Daniel!
Went with Adbert Alzolay, David Bote, Victor Caratini and Brad Wieck.
Caratini, Bote, Mills, and Tepera as the wild card
Tepera is 100% replaceable by just about any other middle of the road righty reliever.
Almora and Bote are 2 a like from a outsiders view. Fun guys to watch.
Whoever is left unprotected is not getting drafted
Um, it’s not a trade, it’s a mock draft.
It seems alphabetical order is the correct answer!
Agree. The unprotected are Robel and the 12 relievers, though I do like Wick and Wieck.
Surprised not that many want to see where Robel Garcia goes…I got him and Vic as the easier 2 in –
Rowan Wick was pretty much there best Rp last year in a pen that was bottom barrel- I know he might have overachieved but damn he reminds me of a converted Catcher the Cubs had pitch like 8-10 years ago….cant remember his name (Was simple name too like Rich Hill) agh Randy Wells it was, simple delivery fast worker, blue collar work blue collar results….. not the worst to save if your bullpen is complete trash and your trying to compete still
Lastly I guess Alzolay or Ryan if you think he can ever find the strike zone….either way I dont think these guys get taken- The probably take Bote as they have already made him an extension offer but Im not the biggest fan of him….I know the Cubs and fans like him a lot though
Weak bunch being relative
Bote is just not that good at baseball. I mean he is ok on the bench but Maddon played him too much.
Alzolay, Bote, Caratini, Wick. But I might switch Wick and Wieck. Almora seems to have shown what he is, in my opinion. Glove first lackluster bat, it would be a tough loss but compared to losing any of the others it doesn’t hurt as much. Wish the Braves still had Caratini, so a part of me wishes he was unprotected and the expansion team had a handshake trade deal with the Braves on draft day.
Maddon never gave him a chance. He had the greatest advancement to 2nd in cubs history though.
I would protect the top 4 players on this list. I have confidence that new manager David Ross will get more out of Albert Almora than what Joe Maddon did. I also feel David Bote will blossom in the top utility role with Ben Zobrist apparently out of the Cubs picture. My biggest lock is catcher Victor Caratini who is a solid switch-hitter and an able defender which is saying a lot these days in MLB. My final protected player is pitcher Adbert Alzolay who may also benefit from having a new manager who was an experienced MLB catcher.
So are they trading Contreras for Sp or just riding that train till the end of the track is the Q?
The question that needs to be answered first is “is the NL DH here to stay?”
If it is, no way do you trade Contreras (or Schwarber) because there is too much value in his contract, especially when you can have his bat for 162 games.
I just worked backwards…..who do I NOT want to keep !
At least six out of the original eleven Cubs, could be traded this off-season !
This is dumb but I’ll bite:
Caratini-arguabbly the best back up in the game
Wick- future set up man or closer
Mills- solid swingman (Cubs will have to replace 3/5 their rotation)
Lastly I would probably go with Bote over Wieck or Ryan and take my chances.
Also, there is a better than average chance the Cubs will trade one or more of Bryant, Schwarber, Rizzo and/or Contreras for 2021 given their appending free agency (KB, Rizzo, Schwarber) and need to clear some pay roll. Assuming the Cubs will want to get under the luxury tax for 2021 they will only have roughly 15-20 million to spend.
I don’t see a NTC on Kimbrel. I would leave him unprotected if I’m making my decision right now.
That allows five which brings me to Caratini, Bote, Mills, Wick and Wieck
Cubs screwed themselves this offseason by nibbling around the edges. They should have traded Quintana, Chatwood and attached Descaslo in a trade as well, freeing up 25 million dollars… Then extended either Baez or Rizzo (or both).
Lets just say you get in your time machine and you have 25 million AAV to work with:
Rizzo 5 year 100 million brings him 7 year total with an AAV of 19 million= +2.5 million
Baez lets go 8 year 27.5 bringing him to a 10 year total (10 million this year, 15 next) would be a 24.5 million AAV= + 14.5
Total difference in AAV for 2020 season 17 million
25-17=+8 million
Locked up two core members, saved 8 million towards the luxury tax which means if everything else remained the same, the Cubs would currently be under the LT threshold. Oh what could have been.
they have plenty of time to extend rizzo and baez and Bryant for winter 2021. Descalso was a complete waste of money. There was no reason to give him a 2 year deal.
Time yes, money no and if you do not think having 4 million dollars extra to spend against the luxury isn’t a big deal I’ll point out the last two Cubs off seasons.
I’d go Alzolay, Bote, Caratini and the under appreciated Alec Mills
Not looking good Cubs fans……the Bears will be playing while both MLB sides still be fighting over money.
The Baseball Strike is already on. The players fired the first shot with Snell & Stroman sounding off.
There will be a long strike coming when the next Union/Owners contract is up !
Was watching “Brockmire”……and I think Hank Azaria pegged it that baseball will have some serious issues in the years to come…….no fans….long games.
Maybe we will see a Suicide on the field during a promotion stunt.
Any response that doesn’t include Rowan Wick is factually incorrect. Your results will be counted, but not considered.
Rowan Wick is a keeper!
first four names. boom, done.
That’s a tough one. Almora Jr. Caratini and both Weick and Wick