Infielder Nick Madrigal was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs on Friday, making him a free agent, according to a source. The former fourth overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2018 out of Oregon State will now be free to sign with any team this winter. Madrigal certainly has not lived up to his draft pedigree, and it hasn't helped that he's battled injuries in recent seasons. The 27-year-old has just four career home runs in five seasons and slashed a weak .221/.280/.256 with a career-worst .535 OPS, no homers, 10 RBI and five runs scored in only 51 games in his third season with the Cubbies in 2024. Madrigal fractured his left hand in June while in the minors at Triple-A Iowa. He's pretty much lost any fantasy appeal he once had and will merely be looking to latch on with a team looking for infield depth going into 2025.
Nick Madrigal Undergoes MRI, Cubs Not Overly Concerned
Chicago Cubs third baseman Nick Madrigal (hamstring) underwent an MRI on Wednesday, manager Craig Counsell told Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Counsell seemed to downplay the injury, suggesting that Madrigal's MRI was mainly precautionary and that he remains in good shape. It's worth noting that Madrigal spent time on the 60-day injured list last year due to a right hamstring strain, so the Cubs will be a little extra cautious with that in mind. Nevertheless, it doesn't sound like Madrigal is at risk of missing any regular season action.
Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal provides the Cubs with an elite contact-based bat and can fit as a backup at second and third base. Nico Hoerner is set to be the club's primary second baseman, while manager Craig Counsell has made it clear that he wants to take a long look at Christopher Morel at the corner, given his athleticism and offensive upside. In addition to Madrigal, Patrick Wisdom and Miles Mastrobuoni give the Cubs some other bench options. The 26-year-old Madrigal, a former first-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2018 out of Oregon State, has hit .280 in his four big-league seasons, but it's come with only four home runs, 67 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 234 games. Madrigal has limited NL-only fantasy upside as a bench/utility option for the Cubbies.
The Chicago Cubs and infielder Nick Madrigal have settled on a one-year, $1.81 million deal to avoid arbitration. The 26-year-old was hampered by a hamstring injury in the 2023 season but reportedly entered the offseason with no physical restrictions. Despite excellent contact skills and bat control, Madrigal's production at the plate has cratered over the last two seasons. He hit a decent .263 in 2023 but slugged just a pair of home runs and walked in only 3.4% of his plate appearances a season ago. He struck out in only 8.2% of his 294 plate appearances but his 83 wRC+ at the plate represented production 17% below the league average after posting a 71 wRC+ in 59 games in 2022. His fantasy baseball value is minimal as a result.
Nick Madrigal Participates In Baseball Activities Tuesday
Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal (hamstring) did some fielding work on Tuesday before his club's game against the Atlanta Braves. The 26-year-old was placed on the injured list on September 19 after suffering a right hamstring strain. Madrigal's likely done for the rest of the regular season, but manager David Ross thinks he could make an appearance in the postseason if Chicago's still playing in October. The former top prospect has disappointed with the Cubs, and he slashed just .263/.311/.352 with two homers, 34 runs, 28 RBI, and 10 steals over 92 games this year.
Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring issue and will sit out Sunday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks after he left Saturday's contest early, according to MLB.com. The 26-year-old has played in just 151 games over the last two seasons due to a multitude of injuries. Over 92 games this season, Madrigal owns a .263/.311/.352 slash line with two home runs, 34 runs, 28 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. The former first-round pick hasn't lived up to the hype he had as a prospect, and fantasy managers should only roster him in very deep formats. Stay tuned for more updates.
Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal (hamstring) has been activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since early June due to a right hamstring strain. He missed time during his minor league rehab assignment as well due to a back issue. Madrigal will cover third base and bat ninth versus right-hander Adam Wainwright on Saturday. In a corresponding move, infielder Miles Mastrobuoni has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal (hamstring) ran and took batting practice prior to Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com. Manager David Ross told reporters that the 26-year-old is "ahead of schedule" and is just about ready to begin a rehab assignment, meaning he could return this month. Madrigal has been out of action since straining his right hamstring in early July. Over 53 games before the injury, the former top prospect was slashing .278/.335/.364 with one home run, 23 runs, 17 RBI, and seven steals. He doesn't do enough in standard leagues to justify holding onto unless there's enough room on the injured list.
Nick Madrigal Goes On Injured List, Patrick Wisdom Activated
The Chicago Cubs placed infielder Nick Madrigal (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right-hamstring strain and activated infielder Patrick Wisdom (wrist) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. The Cubs also optioned pitcher Hayden Wesneski to Triple-A Iowa selected the contract of pitcher Daniel Palencia and moved reliever Brad Boxberger (forearm) to the 60-day IL. Madrigal will miss the end of the first half of the season after injuring his hamstring on Monday. He's hit a decent .278 (42-for-151) and has seven stolen bases in limited time, but he also has just one homer and 17 RBI. Wisdom has really cooled off from earlier in the year. He has 14 homers in 56 games but is hitting under .200 and has only two hits in his last 33 at-bats over 11 games dating back to May 29.
Chicago Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal (hamstring) was forced to exit early during Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Madrigal suffered a hamstring injury when he collided into the wall in foul territory. He exited the game with what the team is calling right hamstring tightness. The assumption is that Madrigal will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he lands on the injured list. Although, Madrigal might not miss too many games with the All-Star break right around the corner.
