There was a time — not all that long ago — when Christopher Morel looked like a future star for the Chicago Cubs.
Morel debuted on May 17, 2022, and quickly became a fan favorite on the North Side. In 113 games as a rookie, he launched 16 home runs, stole 10 bases, and brought an infectious energy to a Cubs team searching for an identity.
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He followed that up with an even louder 2023 campaign, blasting 26 home runs in just 107 games as a 24-year-old.
While his game always came with flaws, it was hard not to fall in love with the light-tower power in his bat and the passion he played with on a daily basis. Morel brought unfiltered enthusiasm — big smiles, constant dugout energy, and a genuine joy for the game when the Cubs needed it most.
He homered in his first MLB at-bat at Wrigley Field and delivered more than a few memorable moments in a Cubs uniform — none bigger than his walk-off, three-run home run against the White Sox in the Crosstown Classic.
But as the years went on, the league adjusted to the holes in Morel’s swing, and no counter-adjustment ever fully materialized. At the 2024 trade deadline, the Cubs pulled the trigger, sending Morel to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes.
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Paredes struggled down the stretch in Chicago, and the Cubs ultimately missed the playoffs. Knowing the roster needed a jolt, Paredes was shipped to the Houston Astros before the 2025 season as part of the Kyle Tucker trade package.
Paredes went on to hit 20 home runs with an impressive .809 OPS for Houston in 2025 and now looks like a valuable piece of the Astros’ future. Tucker, meanwhile, is a free agent and appears unlikely to re-sign with the Cubs.
On the flip side, it’s not as if the Cubs were missing much from Morel. He finished the 2024 season poorly with Tampa Bay and once again struggled in 2025, hitting just 11 home runs with a .684 OPS while seeing limited playing time.
The Rays designated Morel for assignment in the offseason, after which he elected free agency. Now, he has found a new home — and perhaps his clearest path yet to reclaim his potential.
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Morel signed a one-year contract with the Miami Marlins on Friday.
Opportunity is wide open in Miami. The Marlins flirted with .500 in 2025 thanks largely to their pitching staff, but outside of Kyle Stowers, there isn’t much offensive production locked into the lineup.
Xavier Edwards and Otto López appear to have the middle infield set for 2026, but that was never Morel’s path anyway. He was primarily a third baseman with the Cubs and spent time as a corner outfielder in Tampa Bay.
He could easily win the right field job over Dane Myers or carve out regular at-bats as the designated hitter.
Morel is one of those players Cubs fans will always root for, even if it didn’t ultimately work out in Chicago. He gave Wrigleyville plenty of fond memories in a short period of time.
Now, he has the best opportunity yet to turn those flashes into sustained success in Miami.