Why the Chicago Cubs Should Sign Brendan Rodgers Next

The Chicago Cubs’ blockbuster decision to sign Alex Bregman has already shaken up the franchise’s infield and sparked plenty of debate. But here’s a curveball: what if they added former No. 3 overall pick Brendan Rodgers—not because they need him, but because, in a weird way, history sort of begs for it?

An Infield Already Crowded in Chicago

The Cubs made one of the boldest moves of the offseason by inking Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract. The former Astros star now joins an infield with Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and up-and-comer Matt Shaw.

Chicago’s infield is already packed. Swanson has shortstop locked down, Hoerner’s versatility is valuable, and Shaw’s viewed as a big part of the future. It’s tough to argue they’re hunting for another infielder—unless, of course, there’s more at play than just stats and standings.

The Bregman-Swanson Connection

There’s something special about Bregman and Swanson sharing a roster. They went first and second overall in the 2015 MLB Draft, and seeing both in Cubs uniforms is a real rarity.

Why Brendan Rodgers Enters the Conversation

Bringing in Brendan Rodgers isn’t really about filling a hole in the lineup. It’s about completing a draft-class trio that’s never been assembled in the majors before.

Rodgers, the No. 3 pick in 2015, hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype in recent years. He peaked in 2022, but after the Rockies non-tendered him following the 2024 season, things got rocky.

His brief 2025 stint with the Astros didn’t help. Rodgers put up a .191/.266/.278 slash line and struck out at a jarring 35.9% rate over 43 games. Honestly, there’s not much to suggest he’d move the needle on the field.

A Provocative, Not Practical, Proposal

That’s exactly what makes this idea so weirdly fascinating. No one expects Rodgers to outplay Hoerner or Shaw, but the thought of a team fielding the top three picks from the same draft? That’s the kind of baseball oddity you just don’t see.

A Look at Baseball Draft History

Even getting the top two picks from one draft on the same team almost never happens. Only five such pairings have ever played together in the majors.

A trio of the top three? That’s still uncharted territory. Rodgers’ career might be uneven, but he’s in an interesting club of No. 3 overall picks, like:

How the 2015 Trio Stacks Up

Looking at combined WAR, the Swanson-Bregman-Rodgers trio comes in at 74.0 WAR, which puts them 13th among all top-three groupings. If you use a weighted WAR system—counting the strongest once, the second-best twice, and the weakest three times—the 2015 class jumps to 107.4 adjusted WAR, good for 11th all-time.

More Legacy Than Lineup

Even if Rodgers still feels like the weak link, Swanson and Bregman give the Cubs some real firepower at the top of the draft. That pairing already puts them among the most productive duos ever picked early on.

If they keep rolling, who knows—maybe they rise even higher in those all-time rankings.

Signing Brendan Rodgers wouldn’t really fix a glaring need or guarantee a big jump in performance right away. It’s more about making a statement.

This move would tap into baseball history, draft legends, and the wild idea of putting together a trio that’s never played together before. For a franchise that’s starting to crave bold moves, that’s honestly pretty tempting.

 
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