I’m starting a new series today, one I intend to maintain and update every couple of weeks. Probably on off-days like this. So, then, welcome in to the first edition of the 2026 Chicago Cubs Power Rankings.
Once a week, I’m going to power rank the Chicago Cubs active roster (so no injured players) based on a variety of subjective factors that basically amount to how good does this player make me feel at this moment in time. It’ll be heavily weighted on their most recent performance, but each player’s overall upside and contributions (and general vibe) will factor in, as well. Once we have this baseline established, then we can monitor a player’s rise and fall throughout the season.
As a note, this isn’t exactly me ranking the BEST or most talented Cubs players in order. For example, I think Michael Busch is probably one of the best players on the Cubs, but right now, he’s just not at the top of this list. So keep that in mind, I guess. I’m sure you’ll have your disagreements. But that’s the nature of the beast.
Let’s do it.
Chicago Cubs Power Rankings – April 16
1. Nico Hoerner, 2B
Could we seriously imagine anyone else taking the number one overall spot in the first edition of the 2026 Chicago Cubs power rankings? I don’t think so. The Cubs’ newly extended second baseman is slashing .324/.410/.507 (159 wRC+), with two homers, six stolen bases, and the same number of walks and strikeouts. All while playing elite second base defense. Hoerner is providing all the value he always has, while introducing some newfound power. He’s also become the Cubs’ everyday leadoff hitter and, in my opinion, best overall player. At least, right now. He’s killing it, he’s popular, he’s the heartbeat of this team. Oh, and his 1.2 fWAR is top-5 in MLB. I doubt anyone is questioning this ranking.
2. Shota Imanaga, LHP
If you had told me, back in November, that Shota Imanaga would be the clear No. 2 player on a ranking like this, I would have been floored. But how could he not be? At the highest level, he’s made four really great starts (2.45 ERA), including one outing with six no-hit innings, at a time when the Cubs REALLY needed him to step up. Losing Cade Horton (for the year) and Matthew Boyd (for the time being) made us all very nervous for this season, but if Imanaga can actually be the guy he was in 2024 again, a lot of that concern will be abated.
But even more granularly, Imanaga has looked really good: 37.8 K% (bizarro), 6.1 BB% (fantastic), 92.1 MPH fastball velo (best of his career). Very grateful to have him right now.
3. Carson Kelly, C
Carson Kelly’s offensive breakout last season was largely unexpected. The Cubs brought him in because he’s a very solid, veteran catcher and team leader type. So the 115 wRC+ and 17 homers were purely extra value. I’d add that I don’t think really anybody was expecting him to carry that forward this year, and we were mostly okay with that because of all the other stuff he does well. Instead, he picked right back up where he left off and is kind of a beast at the plate: .333/.455/.467 (167 wRC+), 1HR, 7 RBI, with more walks (10) than strikeouts (8).
Throw in absurd batted ball metrics, and it’s hard not to get very excited about his next six months: 95.2 MPH EV, 13.5 barrel%, 62.2 hard% (those are ELITE numbers … they won’t stay there, but that’s where he is right now).
4. Daniel Palencia, Closer
Daniel Palencia has appeared in just five games so far, but he’s yet to allow an earned run. He’s also given up just three hits and two walks against five strikeouts, while inducing a ton of weak contact. But more importantly, and broadly, he’s looking every bit as dominant and established as he did last season, providing some much-needed certainty at the back-end of the Cubs bullpen. The Gasolina entrance, the 100+ MPH fastballs, and the overall energy are all very, very positive.
5. Edward Cabrera, RHP
There were a lot of nerves (among Cubs fans, at least) for Edward Cabrera this season, and they only got worse when Owen Caissie got off to a blazing hot start and the Cubs lost two starters to injury almost immediately. But so far, Cabrera has delivered the goods, with just three earned runs through his first three starts of the year. I don’t think Cabrera is a finished product yet – he’s still navigating the control of his four-seamer, which he hopes to make his base fastball – but he’s been productive, he’s well-liked, and, unfortunately for him, his importance has skyrocketed since Cade Horton’s season was ended.
6. Dansby Swanson, SS
Dansby Swanson has always been a streaky hitter with the Cubs, but he’s on an upswing at the moment. Overall, he’s got a 119 wRC+ and four homers (tied for the team lead), while walking a ridiculous 18.7% of the time. The average is still low, but we’re talking about a Gold Glove shortstop who is (at least currently) getting on base and hitting for power, batting ninth in the Cubs lineup.
Throw in his leadership style and hard-nosed play, and I think Swanson is in a very good place among Cubs fans at the moment. Or, at least, he should be. Oh, and he’s also hitting the ball harder (and harder more often) more than he ever has in his career: 90.1 MPH EV, 14.3 barrel%, 54.8 hard%.
© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images7. Colin Rea, RHP
Where would the Cubs of the last two years be without Colin Rea? The guy has now TWICE stepped up and into the rotation after a season-ending injury to the Cubs’ best starting pitcher (Justin Steele last year, Cade Horton this year), and hasn’t missed a beat. He’s got a 3.63 ERA, a 53.1% groundball rate, and a 15-3 K/BB ratio. All on a $6.5M salary. Colin Rea is FAR from the most talented pitcher on this team, but he so consistently comes through for them when needed. I am a big fan.
8. Moisés Ballesteros, DH
After a quiet start at the plate, the Cubs’ 22-year-old left-handed DH has exploded once again. Blink, and you may have missed it, but as he approaches 50 PAs, Ballesteros is now slashing .342/.381/.526 (153 wRC+). And he’s doing that with a better-than-average strikeout rate, a fine walk rate, and ridiculous batted ball metrics. With next to no defensive or base running value, Ballesteros needs to be a HITTER to provide value, and fortunately for all of us, that’s exactly what he is. I cannot wait to see if he can be this guy for a full season. What an exciting storyline to follow.
9. Alex Bregman, 3B
Strictly speaking, Alex Bregman’s overall offensive contributors (91 wRC+) and defense (2 errors) have left something to be desired, but he is a perfect example of why you need to actually WATCH the games, not scout the box scores, to form a valid opinion. All season, Bregman has been hitting the ball well, walking plenty, and rarely striking out. And I am quite certain he is/will continue to be a perfectly fine to above-average defensive third baseman.
But even if that isn’t enough for you, just look at his most recent stretch … the results are coming (since April 7): .353/.410/.382 (129 wRC+).
10. Hoby Milner, LHP
Hoby Milner probably won’t wind up as the second most important Cubs reliever, but right now, he’s in a very tight circle of trust, especially for key moments against left-handed batters. And through his first 8.1 IP, Milner has allowed just two earned runs. The bad news is that he’s struck out just one batter, and that’s not a great recipe for success … not with just a 41.4% groundball rate. But the good news is that he’s walked only one, allowed only 7 hits, and has a nightmareish delivery that keeps left-handed batters extremely off balance. There may be some tough times ahead if he doesn’t start missing more bats, but he’s been valuable for a wavering Cubs bullpen so far.
11. Riley Martin, LHP
Will Riley Martin even be on the active roster all season, let alone this high up the Cubs power rankings? I genuinely don’t know. But after ascending to the big league team following a rash of injuries to the pitching staff, this dude has been lights out: 4.1 IP, 2H, 0ER, 0BB, 4K with a 50% groundball rate.
The Cubs’ bullpen could really use a breakout season for someone, and Martin is off to a great start.
12. Matt Shaw, UTL
Squeezed out of an everyday job, both short and long-term, by Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw had a tough task handed to him this season. But he’s making the most of it. And after a 3-hit (3 double) performance last night against the Phillies, Shaw’s got his overall slash line above average, all while being asked to play a different position on any given night. I think we all want to see the offense tick up a bit more, but there have been some really positive developments in the areas he was lacking most last season: hard contact.
Last year: 84.9 MPH EV, 29.6 hard%This year: 88.5 MPH EV, 36.6 hard%
And although there have been some bad plays in right field, he does not look completely lost out there for a guy who’s basically never fielded the position.
© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images13. Michael Conforto, OF
With Seiya Suzuki back from the IL and a bunch of lefty starters getting the nod against the Cubs, we haven’t seen as much of Michael Conforto over the last week as we did to start the season. But it’s still tough to ignore the contributions he’s already made.
It’s been only 28 plate appearances for him, but Conforto has a 137 wRC+ and has cut down on the strikeouts in his most recent stretch. The third guy off the bench is never going to be the most important player, but it is nice to have Conforto hanging around. As a part-time player and occasional pinch-hitter, he’s getting the job done.
14. Miguel Amaya, C
Here’s a guy who could find himself rocketing up these rankings as the season rolls on. And I’m sure some of you will be surprised that he’s not higher, given that he’s slashing .267/.405/.400 (137 wRC+).
My only issue is that some of the underlying data does not portend well for him at the moment. And I’m worried that the other shoe could drop. Specifically, the .350 BABIP is quite high for him (.276 for his career), and it’s not supported – at all – by the quality of his contact, which is very, very poor: 83.9 MPH, 19 hard%, 4.8 barrel%. Worse, his bat speed is down nearly 5 MPH, and his 29.2% fast swing rate is down to … 1.7%. That’s alarming, especially because it’s not coming with a particularly notable reduction in whiff rate.
I hope that it’s all small sample noise, and I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I think Miguel Amaya has wonderful offensive upside, relatively speaking, but it would be nice to see the peripherals match the results.
15. Caleb Thielbar, LHP
Maybe the last of the “circle of trust” Cubs relievers at the moment, Caleb Thielbar had a couple of tough team losses hung around his neck this past weekend. But he bounced back with a CRITICAL performance in a high-leverage spot against the Phillies on Tuesday, and continues to LOOK good to me. The groundball and walk rates are alarming, but the 29.6% strikeout rate and career-best 93.6 MPH fastball velo are good signs. He needs to level out some, but I’m mostly okay when he enters a game … which is not something we can say for a great many Cubs relievers at the moment.
16. Jameson Taillon, RHP
I don’t know what exactly it is about Jameson Taillon that I like so much – by pretty much every measure, he’s just a typical #4-ish starter on an average team – but I think this is a case of the best ability is availability. The Cubs need Jameson Taillon more than ever, and for the most part, he’s there for them. There’ll be the occasional gem, the occasional dud, and a lot of starts in between. But for the most part, he takes the mound every five days and gives the Cubs a chance to win. Not a great chance, maybe, but he’ll hang in there. And if he does get blown up, he tends to wear it and preserve the bullpen to the best of his ability. That has value, and so I appreciate him.
17. Seiya Suzuki, RF
I have absolutely ZERO doubts that Seiya Suzuki is going to find himself much higher on these Cubs power rankings the next time we do it. But he’s played in just six games and doesn’t have a homer yet. So … what’re you gonna do? He’ll hit. He pretty much always does. But he began the year on the IL and hasn’t gotten going yet. So for now, he’s near the back.
18. Ian Happ, LF
On the one hand, you can’t just ignore Ian Happ’s four homers, 8 RBI, and continued excellent defense in left field. But on the other hand, he is striking out A LOT this season, way more than he ever has before. And that’s giving me some serious pause.
A low batting average is one thing, especially if you’re otherwise getting on base and providing some pop, but striking out 26 times through 75 PAs is not good enough. He needs to start putting the ball in play more often to at least get a chance at cashing in on some of the RBI opportunities he’s getting in the middle of the Cubs lineup. If he doesn’t, there won’t be much of a case against moving him down the order.
On the bright side, his contact quality has also been great this year, literally career-bests across the board. And that’s especially painful because his BABIP is WAY lower than usual. But when you’re also striking out so much because (1) you’re offering at 50% more pitches out of the zone than you usually do and (2) whiffing more often than ever, well … there are questions that need answering.
We know he’s streaky. But let’s get on one of the upswings then, eh?
© Michael McLoone-Imagn Images19. Javier Assad, RHP
Javier Assad has all the love in the world from me, but he’s made just two starts this year, and the second one was a bit of a disaster: 4.1 IP, 11H, 9ER, 2BB, 3K. He was undoubtedly left in that game to wear it because the pitching staff was depleted, but there’s just not enough here yet to have him rank much higher on this list. It’s also not yet clear if Assad will stick on the big league team once Matthew Boyd returns, or if he’ll head back to Iowa, with Colin Rea otherwise remaining in the rotation.
Like Rea and Taillon, the Cubs are lucky to have another legitimate big league-capable starting pitcher at the ready, but his nice first start to the season took a meh turn on Monday.
20. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
In terms of vibes, no one does it better than Pete Crow-Armstrong. And in terms of upside, no one else on the Cubs comes CLOSE. But outside of his defense, he really hasn’t done much this year. He’s even been thrown out trying to steal in two of six attempts.
But the bigger concern, I think, is just how patently lost he looks at the plate against left-handed pitching. He did get a knock against Jesus Luzardo last night, but has looked quite poor against lefties all year. And it’s not like he’s hitting righties enough to just brush that off. At some point, he might click again, but right now, he’s just not there offensively.
21. Michael Busch, 1B
Literally no part of me believes Michael Busch is a 33 wRC+ hitter. Not after launching 34 homers with a 140 wRC+ and a 23.5% strikeout rate last season. Sorry, just don’t buy it. But right now, that’s where he is. He’s been struggling offensively, and even already needed a little reset. So he has a lot of work to do before he can be relied upon in the way the Cubs were relying upon him at the end of last season.
I do think he’ll get there, but yeah, right now, the contact quality STINKS, and the bat speed is down. Something’s gotta change.
22. Jacob Webb, RHP
It’s been a very poor start to the year for righty reliever Jacob Webb. Through 6.2 innings, Webb has given up six runs (four earned) on eight hits and five walks, against seven strikeouts. The groundball rate is low, the exit velocity is high, and it’s just not working.
The good news is that the sample remains tiny, and he has a three-year track record of really nice success (3.22 ERA over his previous 176.1 IP coming into this season). But, yeah, it’s been fairly brutal so far.
23. Ben Brown, RHP
Ben Brown has been useful, but underwhelming so far this season. On the one hand, he’s appeared six times, each for multiple innings. And that does have value for the Cubs. But on the other hand, he’s just not quite clicking all the way yet. We all know his story, though. The talent is there, but when the command isn’t pristine (or when his third pitch of the moment isn’t working), the hits and runs come in bunches. I think he has a good chance to be better this season, and he has gone scoreless in each of his last two outings (2.0 IP each time). But he’s not there yet. And my concern when he does enter the game is still fairly high.
24. Ryan Rolison, LHP
Sorry, Ryan, but with just 1.0 IP (even if it was scoreless!), you just can’t rank higher than this.
25. Luke Little, LHP
Same as Rolison, but Little’s 1.0 inning of work comes with two hits, including a solo homer. So, he’s one spot lower.
26. Scott Kingery, UTL
Are we absolutely sure this guy is even ON the Cubs? He’s got 2 plate appearances total on the season, both as a pinch hitter. He’s been a pinch runner four other times, stealing one base and scoring one run. He’s the 26th man, and so he’s the 26th-ranked player on the first edition of the 2026 Chicago Cubs Power Rankings.
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