Chicago Cubs Roster, Key Dates, and Spring Training Schedule | MLB 2022

Chicago Cubs had an emotional roller coaster of a season in 2021. Going into the year, expectations were being dramatically lowered. They had traded ace Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres and non-tendered outfielder Kyle Schwarber after a poor showing in the shortened 2020 season.

Rumors swirled about management's reluctance to sign its three core players - Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo to extensions, and the mood around Wrigley was somber.

Then the season started, and the Cubs just refused to lose. By June 14th, they were 10 games over .500, competing for a playoff spot and contemplating keeping the three core players for a final ride to the playoffs. Even without Darvish and Schwarber, who was on his way to being an All-Star for the Washington Nationals with prolific power numbers, the Cubs were competing.

Chicago Cubs looked unbeatable at the start of the 2021 season

Then the wheels came off, and as the losses piled up, players began to be traded away. Bryant was traded to the San Francisco Giants, Baez to the Mets, and Rizzo to the Yankees.

The Cubs stumbled their way to a 71-91 record, finishing 4th in the National League Central. There were bright spots: David Wisdom crushed 28 home runs during his rookie season (the most by a Cubs rookie), and rookie first baseman Frank Schwindel found a power stroke that enabled him to have a slugging percentage of .613 over the final 56 games of the season.

By all accounts the Cubs were expected to be in the early chapters of a rebuild.

Chicago Cubs roster for Spring Training

The Cubs turned out to be further ahead of schedule than many anticipated as they have been one of the more aggressive clubs during the offseason. Prior to the lockout, they signed starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to a $71 million contract over 3 years and catcher Yan Gomes to a 2-year deal for $13 million.

After the lockout, they signed Seiya Suzuki - the top player coming out of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan - for a record-setting $85 million over 5 years and shortstop Andrelton Simmons to a 1-year deal after reportedly being in talks with Carlos Correa.

In terms of new faces, all eyes will be on Suzuki as he eagerly tries to prove himself worthy of the priciest contract awarded to a rookie position player from Japan. Marcus Stroman will be anxious to prove himself as an ace after pitching in the shadow of Jacob Degrom during his 2-year tenure as a Met.

In regards to the rest of the roster, the Cubs will be paying a very close attention to David Wisdom and Frank Schwindel. The two sophomores will set the pace for the young offense of the Cubs, and if they can extend their success from their rookie campaigns, the Chicago Cubs may have one of the best offenses in the National League.

Key dates for Chicago Cubs entering MLB 2022 season

The Cubs begin their Spring Training on Thursday, March 17, agains their cross-town rivals White Sox. They will continue to prepare for the season at Sloan Park in Tempe, Arizona, until they head to Milwaukee to play the Brewers on April 7.

Keep an eye out for July 31 as this roster will either be pure buyers or pure sellers with players like Wilson Contreras, Wade Miley, and Kyle Hendricks being big trade chips if the Chicago Cubs look to load up on prospects

Chicago Cubs 2022 Spring Training Schedule

This spring training will be especially important for Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and President Jed Hoyer. The Cubs have a unique blend of young and promising players along with expensive and talented veterans.

If things break right, the Cubs may end up using some of the pieces they acquired from the Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo trades to try and recapture the glory of 2016. If they start to trend in the opposite direction, the remaining three members from that miraculous 2016 run may end up calling another city home by July.