Chicago Cubs Re-Sign Gold Glove Finalist To Major League Deal

It's a reunion for the Chicago Cubs, as they have decided to bring back into the fold a player they had around at spring training before being one of the team's final cuts. Infielder Nicky Lopez is back with the team, this time on a major league deal.

Nicky Lopez signed a one-year deal with the Cubs.

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The Cubs had signed Lopez to a minor league contract in the offseason, but he exercised an opt-out clause in his contract after he didn't crack the roster out of spring training. He hooked up with the LA Angels a few days later on a one-year, $850,000 contract. But the Halos DFA'd him this past weekend after just six hitless plate appearances.

He'll provide some good defense in the infield for the Cubs as he can play second base, shortstop and third base. Last year, with the Chicago White Sox, Lopez was an AL Gold Glove finalist at second base, with an Outs Above Average of +5.

But the hot corner is the position of need right now for the Cubs, and Lopez will probably get the next crack at filling that void until a more permanent solution is found. Hot-shot rookie Matt Shaw didn't pan out and was sent down to the minors after 18 games of hitting under the Mendoza Line.

Lopez, 30, has a career .247 average and a .624 OPS, but it's on the defensive side of the ball where he brings value. He has a total of 61 Outs Above Average over the past five seasons.

The Illinois native began his career as a regular with the Kansas City Royals for four seasons, before being traded to the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline in 2023. He hit his peak in the 2021 season, when he batted .300 with a .365 on-base percentage and a .744 OPS with KC, while swiping 22 bags.