Cubs part ways with young outfielder to clear roster space for Justin Turner
The Cubs opened up roster space for Justin Turner Thursday morning.
To clear up a spot on the 40-man roster, the team designated young outfielder Alexander Canario for assignment. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers initially reported the news.
Canario turns 25 in May and ranked as high as the Cubs’ No. 7 prospect on Lance Brozdowski’s list before the 2023 season.
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The Cubs acquired the slugging outfielder from the Giants at the 2021 trade deadline in the Kris Bryant deal.
Canario appeared in just 21 games in the big leagues over the last 2 seasons, hitting .286 with an .857 OPS, 2 homers and 8 RBI.
The Cubs had difficulty finding playing time for him in the majors in a jam-packed outfield.
Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ have locked down the corner outfield spots the last several years while Cody Bellinger manned center field for much of the past 2 seasons. Pete Crow-Armstrong – the organization’s top prospect – took over the everyday role in center last season and the Cubs also had reliable veteran Mike Tauchman appear in 217 games in 2023-24.
Things aren’t looking any better for playing time for Canario in 2025. With Kyle Tucker now in town, he figures to man right field full time while Suzuki is projected to be the team’s regular DH.
Canario is also out of minor-league options, creating a roster crunch with the team’s final bench spots.
Canario had a stellar 2022 season in the Cubs system, appearing at three levels and finishing with a 20-game stint at Triple-A. He hit 37 homers with 97 RBI, 23 stolen bases and an .899 OPS.
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Injuries limited him to just 117 minor-league games over the last 2 seasons.
The Cubs will now look to trade Canario over the next few days.
If this is the end for Canario in a Cubs uniform, the Bryant trade has not turned into much for the organization. Caleb Kilian was also in the deal and he remains in the organization, but he has a 9.22 ERA and -1.1 WAR in 8 MLB appearances across the last 3 seasons.