The Cubs have signed infielder Nicky Lopez, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. The deal is a minor league pact, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers (multiple links) reports, and Lopez will make $1.5MM if he cracks the Cubs’ active roster. Lopez is represented by Octagon.
Lopez heads from one side of the Windy City to the other, as he spent the 2024 season with the White Sox as a regular starter in the middle infield. Beginning the season as the primary everyday second baseman, Lopez was shifted over into the shortstop role for much of July and August, before playing a little more sparingly down the stretch. The Sox put Lopez on waivers at the end of August to see if another team would claim him (and the last $700K remaining on his $4.3MM salary) away, but there weren’t any takers.
Heading into his final year of arbitration eligibility, Lopez found himself outrighted off Chicago’s 40-man roster in November, and he chose to become a free agent instead of accepting the assignment. The move was essentially a non-tender, as Lopez was projected for a $5.1MM salary in 2025 and the Sox obviously didn’t see him as part of their plans (at least at that price).
Lopez’s 2021 campaign with the Royals was the clear high point of his six MLB seasons, as he hit .300/.365/.378 over 565 plate appearances while also playing excellent shortstop defense, resulting in a 5.5 fWAR that ranked 13th among all players in baseball. That 104 wRC+ (perhaps aided by a .347 BABIP) now looks like an outlier compared to the rest of Lopez’s offensive output, as he has only a 68 wRC+ over 1187 PA in the last three seasons. That includes a 77 wRC+ from his .241/.312/.294 slash line in 445 PA with the White Sox in 2024.
The glovework has also fallen off since 2021, at least as a shortstop. Lopez had -9 Defensive Runs Saved and a -5.5 UZR/150 in 344 2/3 innings at short last season, but -1 DRS and a +2.4 UZR/150 in the larger sample size of 640 1/3 innings at second base. (The Outs Above Average metric liked Lopez’s work at both position, with a +4 as a second baseman and +1 as a shortstop.)
This solid work at the keystone is most pertinent for Lopez’s possible role in Wrigleyville. Nico Hoerner’s availability for the start of the season is still unclear after the second baseman underwent flexor tendon surgery in October. As of two weeks ago, Hoerner said he hadn’t yet started any hitting or throwing programs, so it would certainly seem like a season-opening IL stint might be in order for Hoerner to have more time to fully ramp up.
The Cubs already signed utilityman Jon Berti to a guaranteed contract, so Lopez’s addition on a minors deal gives the team more depth in the infield department. Vidal Brujan (who is out of minor league options) was also acquired in a trade with the Marlins, and Rule 5 pick Gage Workman will have to remain on the active roster lest he be offered back to the Tigers. Top prospect Matt Shaw is expected to get the first shot at the third base job in his rookie season, and between Shaw’s inexperience and Hoerner’s injury concern, the Cubs are giving themselves plenty of infield coverage to evaluate during Spring Training.
Are we sure it’s not the other teams in Chicago signing this stiff?
Been there, done that, moved on.
Sorry but this years bench looks a lot like last years bench. Bad. Counsell must be loving it.
Well if you can’t get Bregman i guess he’s the next best thing.
Third !
Good defender and that’s it.
It’s dangerous to go alone. Take Nicky Lopez.
Fantastic Jed!! Just well done!
Basically a camp signing. As a veteran he will have CBA-built-in opt-outs on Opening Day and in May and June, and he might have negotiated an upward mobility clause. If they sign Bregman, he will only see Chicago if Berti gets hurt or Shaw can’t hit anything in Spring Training.
Bregman isn’t exactly durable himself
So he traded a younger prospect and would cost nothing who was also an execellent defender and controlable for multiple years for nothing and signs another guy with the same talents who is older and would cost 1.5 million if he makes the roster..makes a ton of sense..nice job jed
The younger talent was on the 40 man they needed to clear space. This is a depth signing
Cubs are spending big now. But he is a local boy, so maybe all his family in Naperville will take the BNSF into Chicago to catch his games.
Should have signed Iglesias……
Out with one bad Nick, in with another.
He’s a run producing machine.
I’m represented by Rhombus.
I was hoping the Braves brought him back to backup albies and Arcia. Can’t be worse at the plate than Arcia and has superior defense.
Poor mans’ Nick Madrigal…who is a poor mans; Luis Arraez….
Why?
Some really dumb comments in here…