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Chicago Cubs Claim Former Dodgers Outfielder Off Waivers

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI
By Benjamin Rosenberg | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 6:37 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs added to their outfield mix on Tuesday, claiming Justin Dean off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. It was Dean's second time changing teams this offseason, as the Giants had previously claimed him in November from their biggest rivals, the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dean, 29, was far from a heralded prospect before seeing his first MLB action in 2025. He was a 17th-round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2018 out of Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina, an NCAA Division II program. He stayed in the Braves' organization through 2024, when he became a minor-league free agent and signed with the Dodgers.

Strong numbers at Triple-A prompted his first-ever callup last August, but Dean was almost exclusively a late-game defensive replacement on such a stacked Dodgers squad. He appeared in 18 games while batting just twice without a hit, stealing his first MLB base on August 22 in San Diego.

Today's roster moves presented by @NuveenInv: pic.twitter.com/6N5i8EF8kw
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) January 13, 2026

Dean struck out in his first major-league at-bat on August 9 against the Toronto Blue Jays, then grounded out to shortstop on August 26 against the Cincinnati Reds. He did give Los Angeles strong defense in center field, usually spelling Andy Pages.

Center-field defense is less of an issue in Chicago, where the Cubs employ Gold Glove winner Pete Crow-Armstrong. But Chicago's bench is somewhat thin at the moment, with Spring Training just a month away.

The Cubs signing Alex Bregman means Matt Shaw can move into a utility infielder role — provided Chicago holds onto second baseman Nico Hoerner — but with Moises Ballesteros stepping in as the starting designated hitter, Kevin Alcántara is the only backup outfielder currently projected to make the active roster.

Alcántara, whom the Cubs acquired in the Anthony Rizzo trade from the New York Yankees in 2021, has appeared in just 13 big-league games over the last two years.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Dean did appear in 13 of the Dodgers' 17 postseason games last fall as a late-game replacement in center field, including Games 6 and 7 of their World Series triumph in Toronto. He did not record any offensive statistics apart from a stolen base as a pinch-runner in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Five days after Los Angeles celebrated its title, the Dodgers outrighted Dean to Triple-A, and the Giants claimed him off waivers that same day. San Francisco designated him for assignment on January 6, clearing the way for the Cubs to take a flier on him.

Chicago's 40-man roster is now at 38 players, and it will become 38 once Bregman's signing is officially announced.

This article first appeared on Chicago Cubs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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