MESA, Ariz. — The Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster is coming into focus.
The Cubs again trimmed their big-league camp roster before Sunday’s Cactus League finale by returning infielder Jonathon Long, and right-handed relievers Corbin Martin and Collin Snider to the minor-league side. Long was in the mix for a bench spot while Martin and Snider were vying for the last bullpen opening. Martin has an upward mobility clause in his minor-league deal, meaning another team could choose to put him on their big-league team.
“The message for (Long) was that, we want you to play, he is a day away from being in the big leagues, even though he’s not on the (40-man) roster,” manager Craig Counsell said. “So let’s go continue to improve as a first baseman and as a hitter and if something would happen, primarily probably to Michael Busch, he’s an option.
“We’ve also been pretty healthy with the guys that are kind of locked in to making the team, and that’s not created the opportunities for (Martin and Snider) out of camp. We know at some point there’ll be opportunities for guys like that.”
Those roster moves narrow the options for their remaining 26-man roster spots. Among those still in major-league camp, right-handers Ben Brown and Javier Assad are vying for one bullpen spot. Counsell used Brown in a one-inning relief appearance last week to prepare him for the potential role, and Brown threw two innings in Sunday’s outing. The Cubs will want at least one of Brown and Assad to stay stretched out at Triple-A Iowa for starting pitching depth. Left-hander Jordan Wicks’ timeline for his radial nerve irritation has him projected to start building up in game action around mid-April.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ben Brown throws during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Surprise, Ariz. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The Cubs’ glut of healthy starting pitchers, which includes veteran right-hander Colin Rea in the bullpen, is an encouraging sign to start the season. They won’t use a six-man rotation at the onset of the season, but Counsell said they could consider doing it for a turn through the rotation later in April once they get through a run of Thursday off days during the first three weeks.
“You have to have so much depth in today’s game to get through it, just the way people use their bullpens and the way guys get injured,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Sunday. “And so we’ve tried our hardest to build up depth, and we’re going to need to rely on it. You know that going in, you don’t know how it’s going to look, but you know that.”
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Seiya Suzuki’s PCL sprain in his right knee is forcing the Cubs to work through different scenarios of how they want to build their bench to start the year. Already ruled out for opening day, Suzuki is a likely candidate to go on the 10-day injured list as he continues to progress to game action.
“We’re certainly very hopeful it’s not a long-term thing and already figuring out when he can get back, but that’s why you have to build up depth,” Hoyer said. “It’s not the last injury we’re going to go through. You never want it to happen, but you also know that when it does happen, you just have to deal with it. The more depth you have the better, the more versatility you have the better.”
One of the main questions the Cubs are still weighing: do they carry Matt Shaw as their only infielder on the bench while Suzuki is sidelined or do they want to have another backup infield option? Scott Kingery is well-positioned if they go the route of carrying another infielder. Kingery, in camp as a nonroster invite, can play second base, shortstop and third base, and also still has minor-league options if they put him on the 40-man roster for opening day.
With Moisés Ballesteros and Michael Conforto already informed they made the team, that leaves Kingery and outfielders Dylan Carlson (NRI) and Kevin Alcántara for two bench spots, if Suzuki goes on the injured list. Outfielder Chas McCormick is not in consideration for the bench. He’s been dealing with right shoulder discomfort that’s kept him out of game action since March 13. McCormick was scheduled to hit Sunday and is seemingly on track to join Triple-A Iowa for the start of the minor-league season.
The Cubs are also keeping an eye on transactions around the league and who might become available.
“We still have some balls in the air with the bullpen and then the bench, and it does affect it, which guys are waivers, which guys have out clauses, things like that,” Hoyer said. “The timing is hard because it’s happening sort of as teams are leaving, but you never want the inconvenience of that to hurt making the right decision.”