Cubs sign Chas McCormick, Trent Thornton to minor-league deals with spring-training invites

The Chicago Cubs agreed to minor league contracts Wednesday with outfielder Chas McCormick and reliever Trent Thornton that include invitations to major league camp for spring training," The Associated Press reported. The moves are low-risk, veteran additions that give the Cubs optional depth in the outfield and bullpen as spring training approaches.

Chas McCormick, 30, arrives as a bounce-back candidate. A five-year member of the Houston Astros and a contributor to the Astros' 2022 World Series title, McCormick's peak came in 2023 when he hit .273 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs. Injuries have interrupted his momentum; he "struggled through hamstring and oblique injuries the past two years, hitting .211 in 2024 and .210 in 2025 while playing in a combined 158 games," The Associated Press reported. The minor-league contract with a major-league camp invite gives McCormick a platform to re-establish his bat and health without the pressure of a guaranteed roster spot.

Trent Thornton, 32, is a right-handed reliever signed while rehabbing from a significant injury. Thornton "is recovering from season‑ending Achilles tendon surgery with Seattle," and he was 2-0 with a 4.68 ERA in 33 appearances before he was hurt "coming off the mound on a ground ball against the Texas Rangers on July 31," according to AP account. One republish noted that "the recovery was expected to take six to eight months." Thornton's career totals give context to the gamble: he is 14-19 with a 4.38 ERA in 235 appearances across seven major-league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. The Cubs are essentially taking a flier on a veteran arm whose availability will hinge on his rehab program.

From a roster and organizational standpoint, these signings fit a familiar blueprint. The Cubs add proven major-league experience without committing a 40-man roster spot or guaranteed salary, preserving flexibility for younger players and in-season moves. For McCormick, the opportunity is to show he can stay healthy and reclaim a middle-of-the-order power/speed profile that was evident in 2023. For Thornton, the calculus is medical and speculative: if his Achilles recovery progresses on a six- to eight-month timeline, he could provide bullpen innings later in the season.

These transactions also reflect broader business and cultural trends in baseball. Teams continue to favor short-term, low-cost veteran deals to hedge against injuries and performance volatility. For fans, signings like McCormick's carry narrative appeal, a veteran seeking redemption, while Thornton's signing highlights the human side of rehab and roster churn in professional sports.

Next up is spring training. Both players will enter major-league camp with eye-catching storylines: McCormick's health and swing adjustments, and Thornton's throwing progression and timetable. How they perform in camp will determine whether the Cubs convert either low-risk signing into everyday value or midseason depth.