Cubs infielder released Nicky Lopez on Friday after triggering his opt-out on a minor league deal, per Jon Heyman.

With a crowded infield and young talent aplenty, Lopez’s chances to make the domestic Opening Day roster were certainly limited. He was battling with the likes of Matt Shaw, Jon Berti and Gage Workman for the roster spot. Those three put together decent springs.

The Chicagoland native spent his 2024 season on the South Side with the White Sox before signing with the Cubs in 2025 on a minor league deal. Lopez’s campaign with the White Sox saw him accrue a .241 AVG / .312 OBP / .606 OPS in 445 plate appearances.

As a non-roster invitee to the Cubs’ spring training, Lopez had a strong showing with the ball club. With a small sample of just 20 at-bats, Lopez posted a .450 AVG / .542 OBP / 1.092 OPS stat line. 

Despite the impressive showing and strong defensive ability this spring, Lopez’s chances of making the MLB roster were limited with the influx of middle-infield talent and impressive youth. With the ascension of Shaw and Berti to the Opening Day lineup for the MLB Tokyo Series and the impressive work of Rule-5 pick Workman this spring, there was seemingly no room for Lopez on the Cubs’ roster. That all doesn’t include the solid spring outing of Vidal Bruján, who has run out of options himself, which made Lopez’s battle to make the club an uphill climb.

With the decision to opt-out and the Cubs subsequently releasing Lopez, the Naperville native is once again a free agent and able to explore other options to continue his baseball career. The versatile infielder can certainly be of use to other teams looking for needed depth and a player who can play multiple positions.