MESA, Ariz. – Jonathon Long was looking forward to experiencing the World Baseball Classic, especially considering his taste of the upcoming tournament would begin inside the famous Tokyo Dome in Japan. In the end, the first baseman felt staying in camp with the Cubs was the appropriate decision. On Thursday,

MESA, Ariz. -- It has been a long time since Michael Conforto came to Spring Training knowing he had to try to win a spot on a roster. The outfielder has a decade’s worth of big league experience with a solid track record, but the struggles he experienced last season

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MESA, Ariz. -- One more win in October for the Cubs and Cade Horton would have joined the roster for the National League Championship Series. That victory did not arrive and the pitcher’s first postseason experience with the North Siders was limited to watching, learning and hoping. Horton hoped he

MESA, Ariz. – When the Cubs signed Tyler Austin over the offseason, the team viewed him as a solid backup option behind first baseman Michael Busch and a hitter who could serve as a bench piece against lefty pitching. Chicago is now examining its contingency plans for those sections on

MESA, Ariz. -- There was a significantly larger crowd of Japanese media gathered around Cubs starter Shota Imanaga after his spring debut on Tuesday afternoon. With so many of MLB’s Japanese stars en route to Tokyo for the World Baseball Classic, Imanaga found himself in front of reporters who had

MESA, Ariz. -- The scene on Tuesday morning at Cubs camp was a glimpse into a day in the life of Pete Crow-Armstrong. Between the scheduled baseball work, there were photos and interviews and autographs for the star center fielder. “Go easy on him,” Cubs first baseman Michael Busch quipped

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MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs have a strong starting outfield trio, but the ballclub continues to look for ways to build up the depth behind that group and to create more contingency plans. That constant search for more help has led Chicago to veteran outfielder Michael Conforto. On Monday, the

MESA, Ariz. -- Moisés Ballesteros managed to travel to Colombia from his native Venezuela amid visa issues that delayed his arrival at Spring Training with the Cubs. He was stranded there for a week and a half, but found a local stadium near his hotel to at least get some

MESA, Ariz. -- One of the reasons Matthew Boyd was confident that joining Team USA in the World Baseball Classic would not disrupt his spring was his experience with the Cubs in Japan last March. During Chicago’s trip overseas for the Tokyo Series against the Dodgers, Boyd faced the Yomiuri

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MESA, Ariz. -- Seiya Suzuki was the hottest hitter in the Cubs’ lineup during the final week of the regular season last year. The slugger then added three more homers as one of Chicago’s most dangerous bats during the team’s time on the October stage. Suzuki picked up where he

MESA, Ariz. -- Before their days as Oklahoma prep stars, early-round Draft picks out of college or teammates inside the Cubs’ clubhouse, Cade Horton and Jaxon Wiggins crossed paths as Little Leaguers. Horton remembers how you did not want to step into the box against Wiggins. “Jaxon’s always been a

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs have had a very businesslike camp to this point in the spring as they build toward what the ballclub expects will be a season with another October run at the end. On Friday, Chicago will turn the page from just workouts to the first game

MESA, Ariz. -- Dustin Kelly was in the middle of making dinner for his three boys one evening over the winter when Dansby Swanson began texting the Cubs hitting coach. The shortstop had just wrapped up a productive hitting session and wanted to chat things over. “I said, ‘I’ll call

MESA, Ariz. -- Kevin Alcántara understands that there is not a starting role for him in the current outfield for the Cubs. Chicago has four-time Gold Glove Award winner Ian Happ in left, a rising star in Pete Crow-Armstrong in center and slugger Seiya Suzuki in right field. If Alcántara

MESA, Ariz. -- Before Ian Happ developed into a four-time Gold Glove Award winner in left field for the Cubs, he spent years moving around the diamond. He bounced between all three outfield positions in the Minor Leagues, while also getting a lot of time at second base in case

MESA, Ariz. -- Seiya Suzuki was excited to play a key role for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic three years ago, but an injury in late February that spring forced the Cubs' slugger to withdraw from the tournament. He then watched from afar as Japan won the Classic

MESA, Ariz. – Cubs manager Craig Counsell is not big on speeches. He believes there is more value in the conversations that happen throughout the spring and during the season, while players are working to improve or experiencing the ups and downs that each year inevitably presents. Ahead of the

MESA, Ariz. -- Something that Nico Hoerner said to Pete Crow-Armstrong resonated with the 23-year-old center fielder and stuck with him throughout the offseason. It was pointed out to Crow-Armstrong that he felt some disappointment after a season in which he piled up 30 homers, 30 doubles and 30 steals

MESA, Ariz. -- Not every signing is for the immediate picture. On Sunday, the Cubs signed veteran righty Shelby Miller with the hope that he could impact the pitching staff in 2027, following a comeback from elbow surgery. The Cubs inked Miller to a two-year contract that includes a club

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. MESA, Ariz. -- Pete Crow-Armstrong let out a slight laugh earlier this week when asked about the quality of Team USA’s roster for the

MESA, Ariz. -- Alex Bregman made a point to stop in the coaches’ office on a recent spring morning to chat with the group about things they wanted to zero in on with the players during the spring. It was just another example of how the Cubs’ new star is

MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins walked over to an entrance in the back of the team’s complex on Friday morning and called out to Rick Sutcliffe. “Hey, where’s your friend?” Jenkins said with a smile.