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Cubs predicted to replace Dansby Swanson with young star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nelson Hubbell | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 4:06 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs are nearing a first-place record in all of baseball, but with the 2025 MLB Draft less than a month away, conversations are being held about which positions the organization wants to upgrade.

Dansby Swanson was a Gold Glove winner in 2023 with the Cubs and 2022 with the Atlanta Braves, but he has struggled at the plate for going on three straight seasons.

According to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, the 31-year-old could be getting replaced in the near future. That is because McDaniel has predicted the Cubs to take a new shortstop at No. 17 overall in the draft.

From the University of Arkansas, Wehiwa Aloy is MLB.com's 22nd-ranked prospect in the draft and McDaniel's 14th-ranked prospect. He has had just five errors across 205 total chances, making him one of the best college shortstops in the draft.

"Aloy could go a half-dozen picks higher or even a bit lower than this, as the college bats in this tier are seemingly in a different order for every team," McDaniel said.

Aloy turned 21 this winter, which makes him almost exactly 10 years younger than Swanson, who also has a February birthday. He is actually playing in the College World Series and has been one of Arkansas' few offensive bright spots.

The young star is hitting .352 at Arkansas this season, with a monster 21 home runs and 68 RBI across 306 plate appearances. It is hard to predict exactly how well Aloy's game will translate to the MLB level, but Swanson's declining average and career-low on-base percentage could motivate the Cubs to make this selection.

However, Swanson has still hit 13 homers in Chicago's 73 games and is on pace to approach a career high of 27. His job is safe for now, but if Aloy is the pick, things could get interesting in 2026 or 2027.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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