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Wiggins tossed two scoreless innings in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Brewers. He allowed one walk and struck out two.
Wiggins was much sharper than in his first spring appearance last Thursday, when he allowed five runs on six hits across just 1.1 innings of work. The 24-year-old is Chicago's top pitching prospect, and he could be in the mix for his MLB debut at some point this year, but that likely won't happen right away, particularly because the young righty isn't on Chicago's 40-man roster. Wiggins should instead get some extended run for Triple-A Iowa after making only three starts at the level last season.
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Cubs' Kevin Alcantara: Off to slow spring start
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Through three Cactus League appearances, Alcantara is just 1-for-10 with five strikeouts.
Alcantara is competing for a spot on Chicago's Opening Day roster in camp, but he hasn't done much to make a mark yet. The 23-year-old has appeared in only 13 games at the MLB level the last two years compared to 137 games for Triple-A Iowa, and he could once again be ticketed for a trip to the minors with an option still in hand. Alcantara remains a talented prospect, and he seems likely to push for a role with the Cubs at some point in 2026, even if it doesn't happen right out of the gates.
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Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Spring struggles continue
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Taillon allowed six runs on five hits and two walks across 2.1 innings in Monday's Cactus League game against the Reds. He struck out two.
It's been a rough spring so far for Taillon, as he's sitting with a 19.50 ERA through three Cactus League outings. The veteran righty has been tagged for six home runs already in only six innings of work. Taillon saw his HR/9 increase from 1.1 in 2024 to 1.7 last year, which was the worst mark of his MLB career. While he still managed a strong 3.68 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 129.2 regular-season innings, Taillon could struggle to replicate those results in 2026 if he continues to serve up long balls at an elevated rate.
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Cubs' Alex Bregman: Hits first spring home run
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Bregman went 2-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Sunday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.
Bregman connected for his first Cactus League home run as a member of the Cubs, and he's now slashing a robust .455/.571/.909 this spring. The talented third baseman will next play for the United States in the World Baseball Classic before returning to camp. Bregman dealt with a quadriceps strain last year that limited him to only 114 regular-season games for the Red Sox, his fewest in a season since 2021. He's fully healthy now and should slot into the heart of Chicago's lineup to begin the year.
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Cubs' Ben Cowles: Back with Chicago
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Cowles was claimed off waivers by the Cubs on Sunday.
Cowles will return to Cubs camp after being designated for assignment by Chicago on Feb. 15 and ultimately claimed by the Blue Jays a few days later. The infielder appeared in five spring-training games in his time with Toronto, going 0-for-9 with five strikeouts. Cowles played in 113 games with Triple-A Iowa in 2025, batting .238 with nine home runs, 44 RBI, 55 runs scored and 16 stolen bases over 421 at-bats. He'll likely open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A if he sticks around with the Cubs' organization.
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Cubs' Shelby Miller: Goes on 60-day IL
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The Cubs placed Miller (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.
Miller inked a two-year, $2.5 million contract with Chicago earlier this month, but as expected, he will begin the 2026 campaign on the IL. The 35-year-old underwent UCL and flexor tendon surgery on his right elbow Oct. 13 and is expected to miss the entire 2026 season. In a corresponding move, the Cubs claimed infielder Ben Cowles off waivers from the Blue Jays.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Not expected to be platooned
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell suggested Saturday that Busch won't be deployed in a platoon to open the season and has earned the right to play regularly versus left-handed pitchers, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Busch is coming off a breakthrough 2025 campaign in which he slashed .261/.343/.523 with 34 home runs, but the left-handed-hitting first baseman was largely shielded from same-handed pitching and did the overwhelming share of his damage versus righties, whom he faced for 497 of his 592 regular-season plate appearances. The Cubs signed the right-handed-hitting Tyler Austin this winter with the intention of having him fill the short side of a platoon, but with Austin now set to miss multiple months after recently undergoing a knee procedure, Counsell appears content to give Busch a full run of at-bats at first base. While the added exposure to lefties could lead to a drop in his batting average, Busch could increase his output in the counting categories due to the higher overall volume of plate appearances.
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Cubs' Justin Steele: Full clearance for throwing
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Steele (elbow) received full clearance for throwing Sunday following his final visit with his surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.
The left-hander has been throwing bullpen sessions with limited parameters since mid-January, but he's now been cleared to incorporate his full repertoire. Steele is aiming to return to the big-league rotation in May or June. He'll need a build up his throwing program significantly before embarking on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment prior to being activated from the injured list.
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Cubs' Dansby Swanson: Pops first spring home run
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Swanson went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in Friday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.
Swanson, who has appeared in only two Cactus League games so far, mustered his first long ball of the spring slate Friday. The veteran shortstop shouldn't need a ton of work to get ready for the regular season, and he'll look to build on the 24 home runs and 77 RBI he tallied across 159 regular-season games for the Cubs in 2025. Swanson did say earlier this month that he is willing to swap some power for more contact in 2026. He's batted below .245 in each of his three seasons in Chicago but hit .277 in 2022 with Atlanta, so there could be room for improvement in this category, though his homer total might decrease as a result.
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Cubs' Edward Cabrera: Impresses in spring debut
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Cabrera struck out three batters across two perfect innings in Friday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.
Making his spring training debut for the Cubs after getting traded over to the team in January, Cabrera looked sharp as he didn't allow any baserunners over his two innings of work. The righty can miss plenty of bats, as evidenced by his career 10.0 K/9, but he also has struggled with control at times and has a career 4.5 BB/9. Cabrera did manage a career-best 3.1 BB/9 in 2025 for the Marlins to go along with a 3.53 ERA, which was down from the 4.95 ERA he posted a year earlier. If the 27-year-old righty can continue to limit walks, he could be in store for a strong first season in Chicago.
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Cubs' Matthew Boyd: Tosses three scoreless frames
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Boyd didn't allow a baserunner over three scoreless innings during Thursday's Cactus League game against the Angels. He struck out three.
Making his second start of the spring, Boyd looked sharp as he kept Los Angeles off the bases for three innings. The veteran lefty now has seven strikeouts across 4.2 Cactus League innings. Boyd's K/9 dropped to 7.7 last year, his lowest rate since 2021, and he's unlikely to see any dramatic upticks at this point in his career. However, even modest gains in the strikeout department would boost the southpaw's fantasy stock in 2026. Outside of the drop in strikeouts, Boyd was excellent for the Cubs in 2025, recording a 3.21 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 179.2 regular-season innings.
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Cubs' Jonathon Long: Won't play in WBC
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Long (elbow) will not join Team Chinese Taipei for the World Baseball Classic, deciding instead to stay in camp to focus on his rehab, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Long has been dealing with a left elbow sprain and has been on the mend over the past week. His original plan was to simply delay his departure for the WBC, but now the 24-year-old has opted to instead stick with the Cubs. While it's a disappointing development for Long, the decision makes sense in terms of getting fully healthy for the regular season. The youngster figures to start the year with Triple-A Iowa, where he'll look to build on the 20 home runs and .885 OPS he posted across 140 games at the same level in 2025.
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Cubs' Ian Happ: No extension talks yet
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Happ said the Cubs front office has yet to approach him about a potential contract extension this spring, but he's open to the possibility if it arises, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Happ is entering the final year of a three-year, $61 million contract extension he signed back in 2023. The veteran outfielder said he's open to discussing another extension, but the team has yet to approach him. Happ, who will turn 32 in August, has been a steady performer for the Cubs in recent years. He's recorded at least 20 home runs and 75 RBI in each of the last three seasons, and while he's only a career .247 hitter, Happ has been able to offset that with a strong on-base percentage. Chicago may not be in a hurry to commit to a player who has plenty of wear on the tires, though Happ has not shown any real signs of slowing down yet.
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Cubs' Cade Horton: Sharp in spring debut
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Horton tossed two scoreless innings in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Rockies. He walked one and struck out two.
After Jameson Taillon covered the first two frames of the game, Horton came in for two innings of his own to make his spring training debut. The 24-year-old righty picked up where he left off last year, when he posted a stellar 2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 118 regular-season innings as a rookie. Horton struck out only 97 batters for a middling 7.4 K/9, but if he can miss more bats in his sophomore campaign, he could take the next step as a true fantasy superstar. The youngster figures to slot in near the top of Chicago's rotation once the 2026 season gets underway.
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Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Tending to forearm issue
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Wicks has been diagnosed with left forearm inflammation and will temporarily pause his throwing program, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
The injury explains why Wicks has yet to make his Cactus League debut, but the Counsell is optimistic that the southpaw will be down for "days, not weeks" after a recent MRI revealed no concerns with his UCL. Wicks reported to spring training with no assurances that his spot in the Cubs' Opening Day bullpen was secure, so he'll need to move past the injury quickly if he hopes to break camp with the big club. Wicks made eight relief appearances for the Cubs in 2025, posting a strong 13:1 K:BB in 14.1 innings but allowing 10 earned runs while yielding 24 hits.
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Cubs' Tyler Austin: Facing extended absence
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Austin underwent a patellar tendon debridement procedure on his right knee Tuesday and will be out for "months," Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Austin hasn't appeared in the majors since 2019, but after a successful run in Japan with the Yokohama Bay Stars over the last six seasons, he joined the Cubs on a one-year deal over the winter and appeared to have the inside track on a reserve role with Chicago. However, with Austin having since required knee surgery, he'll be ticketed for an extended stint on the injured list. The Cubs likely won't have a clearer target date for Austin's return until weeks down the road, when he'll be further along in the rehab process.
Kelly went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Padres.
Kelly connected in the fifth inning for his first home run of the exhibition slate. The veteran catcher got off to a scorching hot start in 2025 before eventually cooling off, but he still finished with a respectable .761 OPS and 17 home runs across 111 regular-season games. Heading into 2026, Kelly should be Chicago's top backstop again with Miguel Amaya serving in a complementary role. Amaya dealt with a myriad of injuries last year and could push for a larger chunk of playing time this season if he stays healthy, which would allow Kelly to stay fresher but might reduce his fantasy ceiling.
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Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Velocity up in spring debut
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Imanaga allowed three hits across two scoreless innings in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Padres. He struck out one.
Making his spring debut, Imanaga looked sharp as he logged 33 pitches. Most notably, his fastball velocity was 93 mph on average in the contest, which is up from last season's 90.8 mph average, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. This supports reports coming out of camp about increased velocity for Imanaga. It remains to be seen if this is just a blip for the southpaw in a short start or something he can actually sustain throughout the year. If Imanaga can regularly throw harder, he might be able to improve upon last season's 7.3 K/9, which was down from the 9.0 K/9 he recorded during his 2024 rookie campaign.
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Cubs' Jonathon Long: Swings bat Tuesday
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Long (elbow) took some swings Tuesday and feels better, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Long suffered a sprained left (non-throwing) elbow on a collision at first base over the weekend, but he's on the mend. The 24-year-old had planned to leave Tuesday for Japan to join Team Chinese Taipei for the World Baseball Classic, but he will delay his departure until Friday. It would appear the Cubs plan to give the go-ahead for Long to play in the WBC.
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