Cubs Anticipate 2026 Surge Fueled by Rising Prospects and Steele’s Expected Return

The Chicago Cubs are focusing on strengthening their roster for the 2026 season, particularly emphasizing the development of young talent and pitching depth. Prospects like Owen Caissie and Pete Crow-Armstrong showed promise in 2025, with Caissie demonstrating strong offensive numbers in Triple-A and Crow-Armstrong having an MVP-caliber first half before experiencing fatigue in his first full MLB season. The Cubs' pitching staff faced significant challenges in 2025 due to injuries, notably to star rookie Cade Horton and Justin Steele, whose recovery from elbow surgery is cautiously anticipated to impact the team's 2026 rotation positively. Despite injuries, Cade Horton earned recognition as the NL Rookie of the Year, exemplifying the Cubs' confidence in their pitching development infrastructure. The team's playoff experience and young players' growth provide a foundation for future improvement, while management remains committed to adding impact talent and depth, especially in pitching, to compete at higher levels. The Cubs' offseason decisions, including potential free agent signings and trades, will be critical in shaping the team's competitive prospects moving forward.