The Cubs had the honor of officially kicking off the 2025 Major League Baseball season when they reported to spring training Sunday.

A few hours before Super Bowl LIX, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins sat down at the team’s complex in Mesa, Ariz., and delivered a state of address on where the team stands entering camp.

[Watch the complete press conference with Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins]

A host of quality players still remain as free agents – most notably third baseman Alex Bregman.

While Hoyer and Hawkins could not comment on specific free agents, they did address the possibility of making more additions to the big-league roster.

“Unclear,” Hoyer said. “You always look for opportunity. Right now, we have a meeting this afternoon and we’re gonna focus on the guys who are in camp. That’s the plan.

“Offseasons have drifted later. Whether it’s waiver claims, trades or free agent signings, things happen a little bit later now. But give that it’s Feb. 9, we’ll focus on the guys that are here.”

The Cubs have already had a very busy winter, trading for outfielder Kyle Tucker and relievers Ryan Pressly, Eli Morgan and Ryan Brasier while also trading away Cody Bellinger and Isaac Paredes.

Their list of free-agent additions includes pitchers Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea and Caleb Thielbar as well as catcher Carson Kelly and infielder Jon Berti.

[WATCH: 1-on-1 with Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy]

While the roster looks to be improved on paper compared to the 2024 version, the Cubs still have one clear hole on their roster: Third base.

Paredes was traded to the Astros as part of the Tucker deal, leaving an opening at the hot corner. While Berti and others could factor into the mix, the Cubs also have their top prospect (Matt Shaw) knocking at the door of the big leagues.

[Three Cubs position battles to watch this spring]

Then again, when a player like Bregman remains available, it’s fair for fans to wonder – and hope.

Especially when the Cubs made a significant addition to their roster after camp started last spring when they re-signed Bellinger.

“It’s kinda par for the course,” Hawkins said. “Last year at this time, we had similar conversations about other free agents and I think because it’s normal – there’s things externally that are allowed. It’s given us the opportunity to learn how to focus on our own process and learn how to focus on decisions that we need to make – not only today to have the best camp possible but for the team moving forward.

“It’s awesome that we have a passionate fanbase that wants us to be better and certainly we appreciate that. But we also appreciate that we need to just focus on what we can do that’s right in front of our face.”

External projections – like that of PECOTA – are pegging the Cubs as the favorite to win the National League Central, something they haven’t accomplished since the shortened 2020 season.

The Cubs haven’t made the playoffs since that pandemic season and they haven’t won a postseason game since 2017.

The rest of the division has been pretty quiet this winter but other teams around the NL – namely the Dodgers and Mets – have been extremely aggressive in adding talent over the offseason.

“It’s gonna be a hard-fought division; it’s gonna be a hard-fought league,” Hoyer said. “Our main focus as we’ve thought about going into the offseason and throughout – wins are going to be a premium in the National League, in particular, this year.

“We’re in a competitive window. I think we’ve gotten better each year. We’re at a place where we have a chance to be really good and try and really maximize our resources within our budget to make sure that we could do that.”