The Cubs are bringing infielder Dixon Machado back on a minor league contract, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. It’ll be the Octagon client’s third stint with the organization. He also played for the Cubs in both 2019 and 2022, spending the interim two seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization.
Machado, 32, spent the 2023-24 seasons in the Astros system but wasn’t called to the majors with Houston. He slashed .230/.369/.356 in 293 Triple-A plate appearances in 2023 and hit .228/.335/.305 in 202 minor league plate appearances last year.
Though Machado has twice been a part of the Cubs organization previously, he’s never played in a big league game for them. His most recent MLB work came with the 2022 Giants, and the rest of his MLB tenure has been spent in a Tigers uniform. The Venezuelan-born shortstop has played in 177 major league games and batted .226/.285/.292 in 522 turns at the plate. Though he’s never provided much value with the bat, he does have good contact skills, evidenced by an 18.4% strikeout rate in the majors and just a 14.4% rate in the minors last year.
Machado is a versatile defender who’s typically been capable of playing quality defense at any of shortstop, second base or third base. Since signing out of Venezuela as a teenager, he’s played more than 12,000 professional innings at shortstop (majors, minors and KBO combined). He’s also logged close to 1300 innings at second base and more than 300 at third.
The Cubs’ infield in 2025 figures to include Michael Busch at first base, Nico Hoerner at second, Dansby Swanson at short and top prospect Matt Shaw at third base. Veteran Jon Berti was signed to a big league deal to take a utility role. Rule 5 pick Gage Workman and out-of-options former top prospect Vidal Brujan are both on the 40-man roster, but neither is any kind of lock to make the team. Non-roster options for backup jobs in the infield include Nicky Lopez (who signed a minor league deal) and James Triantos, another top prospect in a loaded Cubs farm system.
Idk who this is, but that’s a great name
This comment seems at odds w/your screen name…………….
I have the best name
Wait, the Cubs acquired Machado?
Wrong Machado, muchacho.
Comments Closed. Nothing to see here.
Most exciting acquisition since Ziggy Trout
Dixon Machado has a special place in my heart. Went to a Giants game with my niece. They were warming up on the field and I asked for a ball for my niece. He looked up at the netting, kinda letting me know he couldn’t get it to me. I backed up the steps a bit and he tossed me a ball. Gave it to my niece. Made both of our days.
Awesome that your niece got a ball, that’s how life long fans are made.
Wudda been hilarious if you wudda blind sided us at the end with, “He backed up the steps a bit and then told us to f off”
Or he kept the ball for himself to add to his man cave collection where no nieces are allowed. He uses the niece to get memorabilia.
A lot wrong, but kinda funny.
He already knows all the places to eat in Des Moines. Settle in and work with Triantos and Cowles on defense.
This is the best signing for this organization, old and bad.
There hoyer goes again with a fringe move. The heck with bregman. We now have our backup infielder machado and better yet, the price is right. Sorry berti, Lopez, gageman, brujois but more competition and you’re all equal. Hopefully regulars stay healthy for full season!
As the roster currently stands, cubbies may win slightly more but will not make playoffs.
Hey, forget bregman because hoyer says they tried. Anyways, this signing of machado should put the cubbies over the top.
this guy sure does exist