2026 Iowa Cubs Position Previews: Right Field

By Jason Kempf

March 5, 2026

This afternoon, we close out the Iowa Cubs positional previews in advance of the 2026 season which is now just over three weeks from getting started. It will be fun to go back and see how many of the players I wrote about here end up on the 28-man opening day roster. Unless there are a slew of transactions leading up to March 27, I feel pretty good about the bulk of that initial active roster having been discussed in this series. Without further ado, let’s talk right fielders.

The expectation for most of the offseason (especially since Owen Caissie was traded to Miami in the Edward Cabrera deal) has been that 2025 designated hitter Seiya Suzuki will handle most of the workload in right field for the Chicago Cubs this season. That move would open an avenue for top prospect Moises Ballesteros and his potent bat to be in the lineup on a daily basis as the DH. That remains the most likely scenario, at least as it pertains to the opening day lineup. The biggest question, as referenced in the other two outfield previews, is where does the depth come from? With Tyler Austin out with his knee injury, will Kevin Alcantara, Dylan Carlson, Michael Conforto, Justin Dean or Chas McCormick make the roster? Is there room for two from that list? That battle is worth monitoring up until flights depart from Arizona to the Midwest.

In Iowa last season, right field was locked down by Caissie whenever he was healthy and in Des Moines. The slugger earned a start in right field 69 times throughout the campaign and the next closest player, Alcantara, had 23. Alcantara is almost certainly going to spend some time in the corner outfield this season, but who will join him? Two possibilities are Chas McCormick and Jordan Nwogu.

Chas McCormick

McCormick has played 500 games for the Astros over the last five seasons but signed with the Cubs as a minor league free agent on January 26. With the aforementioned injury to Austin, the 30-year-old seems like a great candidate to jump on an unexpected opportunity and seize a roster spot with the Cubs. If that doesn’t pan out, there is a chance we see him open the season with the I-Cubs. Originally a 21^st round pick of Houston’s out of DII Millersville University, McCormick was an everyday starter for the Astros from 2021-24. In 2022, he blasted a pair of home runs during the ALCS against the Yankees on the way to the World Series. Last season, he dealt with an oblique injury and played in just 64 games, the lowest total since he debuted. A plus defender in the corners and a solid center fielder, McCormick is currently hitting .261 in spring training for the Cubs. If he doesn’t end up in Chicago and remains in the organization, he has the potential to be a key piece for the I-Cubs in the early going.

Jordan Nwogu

Drafted by the Cubs in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Nwogu was a star during Michigan’s run to the College World Series championship series in 2019. With the physique of a linebacker and impressive raw power, it has taken some time for the 26-year-old to adjust to professional pitching. Strikeouts have been an issue for Nwogu since he joined the Cubs, with over 25% of his at-bats ending with a strikeout in each year of his career. In 2025, he spent his third season in Double-A, and it was by far his most productive. He closed the campaign with a career-best .280 batting average but hit just three home runs and nine doubles. In fact, over the last two season, Nwogu has combined for 10 home runs after hitting at least that many in each of his first three professional seasons. His athleticism continues to jump off the field. How often do you see someone listed at 6’2, 230 pounds steal 23 bases? I think he probably opens the season in Knoxville again, but if he can pick up where he left off last season, he may find his way to Des Moines in a hurry.

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