Cubs' Hitters Fantasy Baseball Preview | Kyle Tucker, Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Matt Shaw and More

Let's wrap up our fantasy baseball team preview on the Chicago Cubs by looking at the team's hitters. We looked at pitchers in another story.

We've covered the Royals (hitters and pitchers), Dodgers (hitters and pitchers), Rangers (hitters and pitchers) , Nationals (hitters and pitchers), Orioles (hitters and pitchers), Reds (hitters and pitchers), Red Sox (hitters and pitchers), Mets (hitters and pitchers), Twins (hitters and pitchers), Giants (hitters and pitchers), Athletics (hitters and pitchers), Pirates (hitters and pitchers), Mariners (hitters and pitchers), Rockies (hitters and pitchers), Rays (hitters and pitchers), Braves (hitters and pitchers) and White Sox (hitters and pitchers) already.

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Top Fantasy Hitters

There's several Chicago hitters showing up on the ADP list so far.

Kyle Tucker is the first one listed, going at pick 9.25 on average. 

Nico Hoerner (115.95), Ian Happ (118.55) and Seiya Suzuki (122.85) are all going right around each other. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Matt Shaw, Justin Turner, Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch are some more late-round options in standard leagues.

Tucker joins the Cubs after a good run with the Astros since 2018.

He was hampered by injuries in 2024, only getting in 78 games. He had a .289 average and ridiculous .408 on-base percentage. His career average is .274 and his OBP is .353. Tucker had 23 home runs, 49 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and 56 runs scored.

He is a great first-round pick, and should be able to live up to the hype if he stays healthy. I'm fine taking Tucker at the end of the first round or beginning of the second.

Hoerner is a good average and OBP guy, but doesn't provide much pop.

In 151 games last season, Hoerner had a .273 average and .335 OBP. He hit seven home runs, drove in 48 runs and scored 86 times. Hoerner stole 31 bases to help offset some lower power numbers.

He is a second baseman who might have shortstop position eligibility, which is a nice fantasy boost for him. Hoerner is a better fantasy asset in points leagues, but I'd prefer him a round or so later than he's currently going.

Happ appeared in 153 games a season ago.

The outfielder had a .243 average and .341 OBP, which lines up pretty close to his career marks. Happ had 25 homers, 86 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and 89 runs scored.

I'm a bigger fan of Happ than I am Hoerner, and I don't mind Happ's ADP. He's a good third fantasy outfielder, with a pretty safe fantasy floor and a bit higher ceiling.

Suzuki played 132 games a season ago. He hasn't topped 140 games in any of his three MLB seasons yet.

Suzuki had a .283 average and .366 OBP last year, which were pretty close to the figures he posted in 2023. Suzuki also had 21 homers, 73 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and 74 runs scored.

That seems like a pretty safe floor for Suzuki in the coming season, as long as he plays in at least that many games. He has draft steal potential if he can get in closer to 162 games. He's another fine third fantasy outfielder who I don't mind taking around his ADP.

In 2024, Crow-Armstrong played in 123 games at the big league level.

PCA hit .237 and got on base at a .286 clip. He had 10 homers, 47 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and 46 runs scored.

I'd fine taking him as a final standard league fantasy outfielder, but also think there's better options available near the end of drafts. Crow-Armstrong is a better asset in dynasty/keeper leagues, and will need to improve his numbers in order to be a keeper in standard leagues this season.

Shaw is one of the better prospects in baseball coming into 2025. 

He hasn't played in the MLB yet, but is projected to open the year with the Cubs. Shaw has a .303 average, .384 OBP, 29 homers, 99 RBIs, 46 stolen bases, 105 runs scored, 71 walks and just 120 strikeouts across 159 minor league games the past two years. 

Shaw is expected to be the everyday third baseman, and is a player I'm really high on. He is worth a gamble near the end of standard league drafts, especially if your top third baseman has some question marks.

Turner was signed in February and could slot in at first base, third base or designated hitter in 2025.

Last season with the Blue Jays and Mariners, Turner had a .259 average and .354 OBP across 139 games. He hit 11 homers, drove in 55 runs, did not steal a base and scored 59 times.

He's projected to be in a platoon with Busch at first base, but could maybe steal starts from Shaw at third, or Suzuki, who is expected to DH most days. As is, I think Turner is a better deep-league option to begin the season - he might become a standard league keeper, but consistent playing time might be hard to come by unless there's an injury, or Shaw gets sent down.

Swanson has struggled to replicate his numbers with the Braves in his first two seasons in Chicago.

In 149 games last season, Swanson had a .242 average and .312 OBP. He added 16 home runs, 66 RBIs, 19 stolen bases and 82 runs scored.

At a stacked shortstop position, Swanson is just a secondary option. He could be a utility or extra infielder starter if you end up taking him. I'd only go after Swanson if my top fantasy SS had some question marks though, and think Swanson will be a better deep-league option in 2025.

Busch did some nice things across 152 games last season, but the addition of Turner sucks up some of his fantasy value.

Busch had a .248 average and .335 OBP, along with 21 homers, 65 RBIs, two stolen bases and 73 runs scored.

If he does fall into a platoon, Busch should still have plenty of fantasy value because he'll likely be hitting in the heart of the order. He'll have to improve on last year's average and OBP to be a keeper in standard leagues though, and I'd prefer to skip him and go after him as a waiver wire pickup if he ends up shining.

Other Starting Options

According to FanGraphs, Miguel Amaya is the only projected starter we haven't talked about.

Amaya is the catcher, and Carson Kelly is his projected backup. In 117 games last season, Amaya had a .232 average, .288 OBP, eight home runs, 47 RBIs, no stolen bases and 32 runs scored.

Amaya is just a deep-league option to begin the season, and the only way he's not completely out of the standard league picture is because of a weak fantasy catcher position overall. I doubt he ever would be a standard league keeper in 2025, and Kelly would only have fantasy relevance if Amaya is out for an extended period.

Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan are the projected bench bats for the Cubs. Neither are good fantasy assets unless a starter were to go on the injured list.

Top Prospects

There's plenty of reinforcements in the minor leagues if Chicago needs them. Along with Shaw, Owen Caissie (No. 53), Moises Ballesteros (No. 68), James Triantos (No. 72), Kevin Alcantara (No. 89) and Jefferson Rojas (No. 96) are all top-100 prospects.

Benjamin Cowles, Pablo Aliendo and Gage Workman are more of the team's top-30 prospects who have 2025 ETAs.

Caissie is an outfielder with a career .278 average and .383 OBP across 406 minor league games. He also has 59 homers, 246 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, 238 runs scored, 239 walks and 511 strikeouts to his name.

Ballesteros is a catcher and first base option who has 352 minor league games under his belt. He has a career .279 average and .366 OBP, along with 46 home runs, 200 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, 172 runs scored, 170 walks and 242 strikeouts.

Triantos is a second baseman and outfielder. He has 336 minor league games played for his career, with a .289 average, .349 OBP, 24 homers, 169 RBIs, 86 stolen bases, 221 runs scored, 108 walks and 192 strikeouts so far.

Alcantara is another outfielder. He got in three games and 10 MLB at-bats in 2024, collecting one hit along the way. In 400 minor league games, Alcantara has a .281 average, .354 OBP, 48 home runs, 260 RBIs, 53 stolen bases, 266 runs scored, 163 walks and 423 strikeouts.

Cowles has played in 329 minor league games. The infielder has a .268 average, .365 OBP, 30 homers, 158 RBIs, 52 stolen bases, 177 runs scored, 152 walks and 343 strikeouts.

Aliendo has played in 393 minor league games, posting a .236 average, .332 OBP, 39 homers, 176 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, 195 runs scored, 143 walks and 410 strikeouts. He's another option at catcher.

Workman is a third baseman and shortstop who has played in 472 career minor league games. He has a .248 average, .326 OBP, 57 homers, 263 RBIs, 110 stolen bases, 287 runs scored, 200 walks and 655 strikeouts.

Jonathon Long, Christian Franklin and Brett Bateman are some other hitters age 25 or below in big league camp with the team this spring.