Alexander Canario DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Chicago Cubs designated outfielder Alexander Canario for assignment on Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for newly-signed infielder Justin Turner, sources told ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers. Canario hasn't really gotten a fair shake in Chicago and has played in just 21 big-league games, so Rogers suggests he'll be a pretty good trade candidate this spring. The 24-year-old is also out of minor-league options, though, which could limit his appeal to other MLB teams. In his brief time with the Cubs in the last two years, he's posted a nice .857 OPS but with a strikeout rate over 40 percent. The Dominican outfielder's power upside along should attract plenty of interest from another team, where he could have a better shot at regular playing time at the major-league level. In 64 games for Triple-A Iowa in 2024, Canario had 18 home runs.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Alexander Canario could contend for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Patrick Mooney of The Athletic noted that the 24-year-old is out of minor league options, which provides him with the most leverage he has had. In addition, reports in the offseason have suggested that Canario will see work at first base and other infield positions in addition to the outfield. However, given the recent signing of Justin Turner, a path to being the backup first baseman is much tougher. The 24-year-old has logged just 21 games at the MLB level over the past two seasons but has been very productive when on the field. Across this stint, he has held a .286/.333/.524 line with two doubles and two home runs. Across 120 games at Triple-A, Canario has held a .252/.345/.521 slash line. If Canario does make the Opening Day roster, he will likely be an option off the bench and will only carry value in deeper formats.

According to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Cubs outfielder Alexander Canario saw time at first base on Tuesday. The team is exploring several options to serve as the backup behind Michael Busch. Infielders Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan are also expected to see time at first base during the spring. Canario has been exclusively deployed in the outfield throughout his professional career but could have another route to making the Opening Day roster. Currently, the Chicago outfield is quite crowded at the major league level and has several options in the system, including Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara. Over the past two seasons, Canario logged only 21 games in the majors but has performed well, holding a .286/.333/.524 line. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Canario's status during spring training as he could carve out a permanent role on the depth chart.