Chicago Cubs outfielder Dylan Carlson is heading to free agency after clearing waivers, the team announced Wednesday. Carlson had recently joined the Cubs organization during the offseason.
The 27-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in January after leaving the Baltimore Orioles and electing to join free agency. Carlson would find his way onto the team’s Opening Day roster, with the Cubs selecting his contract afterwards.
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Carlson would then be Designated for Assignment on April 10, having only played a total of three game for the club during his short stint with the team. In those three games, Carlson made four plate appearances and scored one run.
Even when teammate Seiya Suzuki was out with an injury, Carlson struggled to find any play time on the team. After Suzuki returned from his rehab assignment, it was clear that Carlson would lose his place on the roster.
A few days after being DFA’d, Carlson chose to head to free agency, hoping to find his place on a new team. He could ultimately decide to re-sign with the Cubs on a minor league deal, but the decision to allow him to leave means the Cubs don’t really see his departure as a huge deal.
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Carlson was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2016 MLB draft but would not make his MLB debut until the 2020 season. In his first MLB season, Carlson recorded a .200 batting average, hitting three home runs and seven RBIs.
After four-and-a-half seasons with the Cardinals, Carlson was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in mid-2024. Carlson would spend the rest of the season with the Rays before heading to free agency at the end of the season.
In 2025, Carlson signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Despite starting the season with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Carlson would play 65 games with the Orioles, being called up after multiple players suffered injuries throughout the season.
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Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) signals to the bullpen to make a pitching change© Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
After finishing the 2025 season, Carlson would once again head to free agency. Carlson signing with the Cubs seemed like a promising fresh start for the outfielder, but it looked as if the Cubs never really had any long-term plans for him.
Now that he finds himself in free agency, Carlson will have to wait and see if there are any teams that are interested in signing the outfielder and adding him to their rosters. The season is still early, and it would not be a surprise if Carlson quickly finds himself signed to a team.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.