The Cubs lead the National League with 14 draft-eligible players this winter

The Chicago Cubs enter the offseason with several questions, wondering how they can improve on a squad that went 83-79 for the second straight year, lost the division to the Milwaukee Brewers and failed to qualify as a Wild Card team made the playoffs.

But before they can figure out which free agents to target on the open market, they must determine what it will take to hold their current roster together.

This amount could be high.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Cubs have 14 players in arbitration this offseason, the same number as in the Netherlands, meaning final salary figures for the 2025 roster may not be determined until after hearings conclude in January.

Only the Baltimore Orioles have more players than Chicago, with 15 players in the MLB.

Both the sheer number of arbitration-eligible players and potential salary allocations have created some confusion about what the Cubs' roster will achieve next season, potentially preventing the team from clearly projecting which free agents are in their price range.

Two players are expected to make over $6 million in 2025, with third baseman Isaac Paredes leading the team at $6.9 million and 2023 Cy Young finalist Justin Steele at 6.4 million US dollars is right behind him.

Four other players are expected to receive over $2 million: outfielder Mike Tauchman ($2.9 million), catcher Christian Bethancourt ($2.5 million) and reliever Yency Almonte (2.2 million US dollars) and Adbert Alzolay (2.3 million US dollars).

Chicago has options with each of the 14 players: They can be non-tendered and potentially return on a guaranteed contract or a minor league contract, or they can be signed to contract extensions that give the team some cost certainty in the coming years.

That's what happened to Nico Hoerner, who became arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2023, who signed a $2.5 million contract through the 2023 season and then signed a three-year, $35 million extension just three months later.

However, their decisions are complicated by the possible exit of Cody Bellinger.

The veteran outfielder led the Cubs with a cash salary of $27.5 million in 2024 and can choose to return in 2025 at the same salary or opt out and re-enter free agency this winter.

There are no public hints from Bellinger or his representation about what he might do, but it's unlikely that a .266 hitter with a .751 OPS and 18 home runs is likely to get a bigger deal on the open market than he could deserve Opt in.

His decision comes five days after the conclusion of the 2024 World Series.

Chicago has until mid-January to agree to contracts with its extension-eligible players or announce a salary figure for the arbitration hearing in February.

Like several teams in the MLB, the Cubs have embraced the growing trend of “file and trial,” refusing to negotiate a contract after the arbitration date and honoring it like a hard deadline.

It could take Chicago until the end of February to complete all hearings and know exactly what his 2025 salary commitments will be.