His impressive breakout aside, the spotlight didn’t shine on Michael Busch very much in 2025.
Early attention on the North Side of Chicago focused on Kyle Tucker’s potential impact after arriving in an offseason trade. As the first half unfolded, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakout received far more notice. And when All-Star rosters were announced, most of the scrutiny regarding the Cubs’ perceived snubs centered on Seiya Suzuki’s omission rather than Busch’s.
But as we look forward to 2026, Busch is set to become a more prominent figure for the team. In fact, he may be the most important hitter in the Cubs’ lineup. Here’s why.
1. He was quietly the Cubs’ best hitter in 2025 — and No. 2 might not be back
While others received more fanfare, it was Busch who finished the year as Chicago’s most productive hitter.
Highest wRC+, 2025
Among qualifying hitters
Ranking immediately behind Busch among Cubs qualifiers was Tucker (136), who is now a free agent and seems likely to move on from Chicago.
2. He could see a lot of time in the leadoff spot
Busch spent much of the first half batting in the middle-third of Chicago’s order, but that changed after the All-Star break, as he became the team’s regular leadoff hitter against right-handed pitchers.
Although he took some time to get acclimated to that role, Busch ended the year on an absolute heater. Over his final 21 starts out of the leadoff spot (playoffs included), he slashed .338/.422/.909 with 19 extra-base hits (12 home runs).
That strong finish could compel the Cubs to keep Busch atop their lineup at the start of 2026.
3. Chicago is lacking established power threats
Although the Cubs ranked sixth in MLB with 223 home runs in 2025, there are a lot of questions about the team’s power going into ’26.
Crow-Armstrong hit 31 homers last season, but just six came after the All-Star break. He has a lot to prove on the offensive side of the ball. The same goes for second-year third baseman Matt Shaw, who produced 13 homers and a .690 OPS as a rookie.
Tucker’s potential departure could open the door for two other highly touted youngsters — Owen Caissie and Moisés Ballesteros — to earn significant roles, but Shaw’s struggles serve as a reminder of the risks in relying on unproven players.
The Cubs do have some veterans they can lean on for stability, but Nico Hoerner is contact hitter with minimal pop, and neither Ian Happ nor Dansby Swanson is a high-end power bat. It also remains to be seen if Suzuki can replicate his 32-homer effort from 2025, considering he averaged roughly 23 home runs per 162 games from 2022-24 and is now 31.
Busch himself isn’t fully established as he enters his third full season, but he may be the closest the team has to an elite power threat.
