Michael Conforto Agrees to Minor-League Deal with Cubs, Gets Spring-Training Invite

Michael Conforto, entering his age-33 season on March 1, agreed to a minor-league contract with the Chicago Cubs that includes a non-roster invitation to big-league Spring Training, a move the club confirmed Monday with the signing subject to a physical. Jon Heyman first reported the agreement and Cubs manager Craig Counsell has acknowledged Conforto will be a non-roster invitee as the team adds left-handed outfield depth.

Counsell framed the signing as both a nod to Conforto’s track record and a search for opportunity. "Michael had a down year last year, but has been a good player in this league for quite a while," Counsell said. "Sometimes when you sign guys, it’s like where is the opportunity here, and then we show up in five days and there’s a big opportunity. So that’s how you look at this."

Conforto’s 2025 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a steep decline from prior form. He hit .199 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs across 138 games and 486 plate appearances, slashing .199/.305/.333 for a 79 OPS+, MLB reported. The New York Times recorded his 2025 OPS as .637 and noted monthly swings that included a .569 OPS at the end of April and a lone month above .700 in July (.827). Dodgers managers left him off postseason rosters, yet Newsweek noted he will receive his first World Series ring from that club.

Before 2025 Conforto had been a consistent offensive performer. MLB summarized his pre-2025 career line as .251/.348/.456 with a 120 OPS+. ESPN cited 179 career home runs and 23 stolen bases and referenced a 115 OPS-plus figure. With the San Francisco Giants he produced a .740 OPS across 255 games and in 2024 posted a .759 OPS, 115 OPS+ and 20 homers in 130 games.

The Cubs view Conforto as competition for a reserve outfield role behind everyday options Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong, with Seiya Suzuki set up to play right or serve as a designated hitter. Counsell specifically noted Conforto’s left-handed bat as a factor: "I think that's a real thing, for sure," Counsell said. "I think it's an area that, I think we have that in our primary lineup, but kind of after that group, it was a place where we felt a little light." Non-roster outfield competition in Mesa includes veterans Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick on minor-league deals, plus prospects Kevin Alcántara and Matt Shaw in the mix; Carlson is a switch-hitter while McCormick, Alcántara and Shaw hit right-handed.

Logistics were immediate: "Conforto reported to the Cubs’ complex on Monday to finalize the deal, according to Counsell. The Cubs manager expects Conforto to participate in Tuesday’s workout in Mesa." The New York Times also reported that, if Conforto makes the big-league roster, sources briefed on the deal said his MLB salary would be $2 million plus performance bonuses, a figure not confirmed elsewhere.

Conforto’s path is clear and narrow: win a spring role as a left-handed bench bat or depth outfielder and overturn a down 2025, or begin the season in Triple-A as the Cubs hold a crowded non-roster camp. The signing gives Chicago immediate insurance during World Baseball Classic absences and a veteran bat to test in competitive at-bats in Mesa.