Chicago Cubs’ first order of business: Get these young players extended

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Second baseman Nico Hoerner, who will also be eligible for free agency at the end of next season, needs to be first on that list.

The 28-year-old had a career year in 2025 with a .297 batting average and Gold Glove play at second, but has been consistent through his major league run. It could be said that he willed his way into becoming the Cubs MVP throughout the second half of the season, but especially during the heat of the pennant race and in the postseason, where he batted .419 through the two series. He is steady, consistent, and has proven himself to be a spark plug for an offense that desperately needs sparks of ignition. He already easily ranks as the best Cubs’ second baseman since Ryne Sandberg.

Hoerner had already signed a 3-year, $35 million extension before the 2023 season, covering 2024 to 2026. His next deal, as theorized by Matthew Trueblood of North Side Baseball could be a 5-year, $105 million deal with the possibility of it becoming a 6-year, $120 million deal, keeping him in Chicago until his age-34 year.

PCA and Busch are “must-extend” assets

Pete Crow-Armstrong is a no-brainer for a Cubs extension as well.

Despite the 23-year-old’s late season fizzle, he showed what he had the potential to do on multiple fronts of the game. Even when not hitting, PCA is a linchpin to the Cubs’ outfield defense and a real game-changer with his speed. Plus, to be business-practical, the guy is a charismatic field presence that helps sell tickets and move merch. The Cubs had already tried to get him to bite on an extension reportedly worth $75 million for an undisclosed number of years, but it was turned down. Their next offer needs to be more aggressively generous to keep PCA beyond the 2030 season.

Thoughts are that such an extension could fall in the range of $135 million to $190 million over 9 or10 years, which would still be a bargain relative to his overall worth.

Another young player in need of an extension right now is first baseman Michael Busch.

The 27-year-old sophomore proved himself to be one of the elite-tier first baseman in the sport with a monster season in just his second full year at the position. He finished 2025 with 34 home runs and 90 RBIs while placing in the MLB top three among first baseman in slugging percentage (.523), home runs, OPS (.863), and triples (5)– all while playing Gold Glove-level defense.

Busch is a keeper and should be treated as one. Right now he’s an extreme bargain at just about $750K per season and he won’t be eligible for free agency until 2030. Cutting a deal now to get past arbitration and free agency would be wise. Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue estimates that such an extension could result in a 5-year, $70 million deal that would become a 6-year, $25 million deal with an option tacked on at the end.

Also in consideration…

There are other young Cubs who could be the subject of extension talk.

Pitcher Cade Horton, for example, showcased some wildly elite-level stuff, especially over the second half of the season. His small body of work and injury history, though, make him an extreme risk when it comes to extension talk.

Daniel Palencia was a revelation last season as the Cubs closer, until his somewhat-collapse at the very end. There could be some chatter about an extension, but the Cubs generally don’t go all-in when it comes to relievers. In this case, they would be right to shy away from one with Palencia.

Third baseman Matt Shaw proved that he belonged in the major leagues after a shaky start to his rookie year. His defense turned out to be much better than anticipated and his hitting started to come around as he put more at bats under his belt. He’s still not a sure-thing starter, though, and it would be an odd business move for the team to extend the 23-year-old work in progress.

All in all, securing the contracts of Hoerner, Crow-Armstrong, and Busch would help establish a young base for a championship run, alongside Horton, Palencia, Shaw and incoming young talent such as Moises Ballesteros, Owen Caissie, and Jaxon Wiggins.

If the Cubs wait on doing this, things could get quite a bit more expensive for them and, possibly, cost them these players as well.