Outfielder Michael Conforto agrees
to a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs
[February 24, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Michael Conforto is looking to regain his form
with the Chicago Cubs.
Conforto has agreed to a minor league deal with the Cubs that
includes an invitation to major league camp for spring training. The
outfielder is expected to compete for a reserve role.
Conforto, who turns 33 on Sunday, struggled last season after
agreeing to a $17 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles
Dodgers. He hit a career-low .199 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 138
games for the World Series champions, who did not use him in the
postseason.
Conforto steps into a crowded picture when it comes to Chicago's
reserve outfielders. Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson, two more
veterans, also are in camp on minor league deals. Kevin Alcántara,
one of the team's top prospects, is another option, and Matt Shaw is
expected to see some time in the outfield as part of his
super-utility role.
Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong are everyday outfielders for the
Cubs, and Seiya Suzuki will play right or serve as the designated
hitter most of the time.
“Michael had a down year last year, but has been a good player in
this league for quite a while,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said
Monday. “Sometimes when you sign guys, it's like where is the
opportunity here, and then we show up in five days and there's a big
opportunity. So that's how you look at this.”
Conforto bats from the left side, while McCormick, Alcántara and
Shaw are right-handed hitters. Carlson is a switch-hitter.
Counsell said Conforto being a lefty batter factored in the team's
decision to take a closer look.
“I think that's a real thing, for sure,” Counsell said. “I think
it's an area that, I think we have that in our primary lineup, but
kind of after that group, it was a place where we felt a little
light.”
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Michael Conforto looks on during the seventh
inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Sept.
21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh, file)
Conforto was selected by the New York Mets with the
No. 10 pick in the 2014 amateur draft. He made his big league debut
the following year.
He had a breakout season with New York in 2017, making the NL
All-Star team while batting .279 with 27 homers and 68 RBIs. He set
career highs with 33 homers and 92 RBIs for the Mets in 2019.
“He's a player that's had a lot of success in this league, and if he
can recapture some of that, we're going to have a useful player,”
Counsell said.
After sitting out in 2022 while he recovered from right shoulder
surgery, Conforto signed a $36 million, two-year deal with San
Francisco. He hit .237 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 2024 in his
last year with the Giants.
Conforto has a .245 career batting average with 179 homers and 556
RBIs in 10 major league seasons.
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