Cubs Sign Dylan Carlson to Minor League Deal

The Chicago Cubs have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with veteran outfielder Dylan Carlson, adding depth to their already strong outfield group ahead of the 2026 season. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to major league spring training, where the 27-year-old will compete for a bench spot. The signing, first reported by baseball analyst Greg Zumach, comes just over a week after the Cubs inked former Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick to a similar minor league pact.

Carlson, a switch-hitter drafted 33rd overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016, debuted in the majors at age 21 during the 2020 season. He broke out in 2021, his first full year, slashing .266/.343/.437 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs over 151 games. That performance earned him third place in National League Rookie of the Year voting and helped the Cardinals make a late-season push to the playoffs. However, Carlson's production declined sharply in the years that followed, hampered by a series of injuries including shoulder, hamstring, oblique, thumb, wrist and ankle issues. The ankle injury in 2023 required season-ending surgery.

In 2022, he managed a league-average .240/.314/.381 line with...