On Sunday, the Chicago Cubs announced third baseman Gage Workman and utility man Vidal Brujan will travel with the team to Japan for Opening Day.
According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic , a Rule 5 pick will also be traveling with the Cubs, however it has not been announced who. He went on to say that the team has not decided yet on whether top prospect Matt Shaw will make the Opening Day roster.
In another universe in which the Cubs skipped spring training and started the regular season in March, Gage Workman would arguably be the hottest player in baseball at the moment. In 30 plate appearances for the Cubs so far this preseason, the lefty has posted a .385/.433/.769 batting line with three home runs, one double, and 11 RBI.
There’s a chance that Shaw does not travel with the team to Japan for Opening Day, and if so, Workman could be the guy that mans the hot corner in the first game of the season for the Cubs. If he kicks things off any similar to how he’s been swinging in Spring Training, there’s another lefty hitter Japanese fans could be talking about who's not named Shohei Ohtani.
Acquired from the Marlins this offseason via trade, Brujan has kicked off his 2025 Spring Training on a nice note. In 29 plate appearances the switch-hitter has collected seven hits including three extra-base-hits, four stolen bases, and four walks. He’s expected to play a bench role for the Cubs in 2025.
The Cubs also announced a slew of roster cuts today, including Cade Horton, Brandon Hughes, Moises Ballesteros, and Ben Cowles. The Cubs’ Spring roster now sits at 35 players.
