The Cubs’ moves this offseason have shown a significant shift in focus from the present to the future. That shift puts a spotlight on their scouting and player-development infrastructure, which has been revamped in the last few years.
The coronavirus pandemic, however, forced the Cubs’ scouting and player-development departments to regroup and adjust while Major League Baseball made significant changes to combat the virus.
The cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season and the reduction of the 2020 MLB Draft to five rounds were two byproducts of those changes, leaving those departments to fend for themselves in the new normal.