Eduarniel Nunez – Picture by Todd Johnson

One of the top storylines for 2024 is going to be the performance of some 20+ players who will be eligible to become free agents at the end of the 2024 season. Most of them will be assigned to Tennessee and Iowa with a couple down in South Bend. Most of the players were acquired in 2017 and 2018 and they’ve been an essential part of the organization for the past six or seven years. The sad part is that they have not reached their potential that many envisioned when they were signed.

Still, there is always hope.

You never know when things are going to click for certain players. I can look at a guy and say that dude has an amazing skill set and great physical talents, they just have not put it together performance wise. And that’s really what it comes down to. 

Here is the full list of players eligible to become free agents after the 2024 season.

Pablo Aliendo, David Bote, Luis Devers, Manuel Espinoza, Kohl Franklin, Reivaj Garcia, Saul Gonzalez, Caleb Knight, Juan Mora, Eduarniel Nunez, Miguel Pabon, Ezequiel Pagan, Jack Patterson, Fabian Pertuz, Yohendrick Pinango, Jake Reindl, Cole Roederer, Cam Sanders, Jake Slaughter, Riley Thompson, Luis Verdugo, Blake Whitney, and Brad Wieck

As you can see, that’s quite a big chunk of Double-A and Triple-A. Right now, three or four have a shot at getting to the majors this year. A few more have a chance to get signed to a successor deal because they’re only 23 or 24.. And some could make the 40-man just as Luis Vasquez did this past winner before reaching free agency.

Right now, Pablo Aliendo probably stands the best chance of repeating what Luis Vazquez did this fall by getting added to the 40-man. Being a catcher who can hit as well as defend and motivate, that’s a huge need for any organization.

Kohl Franklin has some consistency issues to work on this year if he’s going to make it to 2025 with the Cubs. After missing 2020 with Covid and 2021 with injury issues, he was robbed of two seasons in the prime of his young career. Still, time is not up yet for him. A lot can happen in 2024.

You could put Cole Roederer in the same boat with Kohl. Although, Cole did have a torrid July last year as well as the best year of his career with 57 RBI between Tennessee and his short 10 game stint in Iowa, he just turned 24 and he will be that age all of the 2024 season.

Eduarniel Nunez signed a successor deal this off-season to stay with the Cubs. If he can continue to throw the ball in the strike zone, we could be seeing his name at Wrigley at some point late in the summer. It’s hard to let go of a guy that can throw 100 and is just beginning to tame it. Add in a nasty slider and we may have a MLB pitcher soon.

If Jake Reindl can ever stay healthy, his slider is MLB ready now. Cam Sanders also has MLB ready stuff: it’s just a matter of them controlling their pitches in the zone and staying healthy.

On the surface, losing 20+ players to free agency would be devastating to most systems. However, they’re not all going to leave. It’s going to be fun watching them try to get to Chicago, and if they do, great! With the big league club in a competition window, chances are the Cubs are not going to be in the mood to wait around for them to finish their development.  The players need to do that this year to get the attention of the Cubs.