Cubs Sign Former Beloved Astro to Minor League Deal

Former Astros outfielder, loved by fans, gets another chance at baseball after signing with the Chicago Cubs.

Houston Astros helmet. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It seems like the Chicago Cubs are the next breeding grounds for former Houston Astros. First, it was Kyle Tucker for a year. Next, it's Alex Bregman for five years. Now it could possibly be Chas McCormick.

McCormick Gets Another Chance

The Cubs signed McCormick to a minor league deal, with an invite to the upcoming spring training. The former Astro made his major league debut with Houston in 2021 and spent his first five seasons with the ballclub.

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"Chazzy Fizz," An Astros Fan Favorite

The 31-year-old was an Astros fan favorite, yet statistically peaked since his debut up until the 2024 season. From 2021-2023, "Chazzy Fizz" as known by Astros faithful, appeared in 342 games, sporting a combined 7.5 WAR, 120 wRC+ with a .258 AVG and a .782 OPS.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphian native was integral for Houston, especially during the playoffs. Astros fans will never forget his circus-level catch, crashing against the Philadelphia Phillies's scoreboard wall at the top of the ninth to hold onto a 3-2 win during Game 5 of the 2022 World Series.

2023 was his best season, slashing .273/.353/.489 with a 130 OPS+ and 22 homers in 114 games, nearly scratching the surface of All-Star level play.

Injuries and Performance Setbacks

The last few years were relatively forgettable. McCormick struggled with injuries and underperformance, appearing in 158 total games in 2024 and 2025 with a combined -1.6 WAR, averaging .210 and a 62 OPS+. His walk rate also dipped from 9.4% to 6.8%. Sooner or later, his outfielding duties were replaced by Jake Meyers, Zach Dezenzo, Zach Cole, and Cam Smith.

Actually, worse than that. Following the 2025 season, the Astros told Chas the grim news that they were releasing him

Chas McCormick faces yet another uphill battle to make it to the Cubs major league roster. He's faced adversity once before, a late pick in the 21st round, but miraculously performed his way on the Astros 40-man roster in four years.

Chas Starting Over

After 2023, it seemed like center field was his position to stay. The former Astro faces familiar adversity heading in spring training and the minor leagues, as he aims to reclaim the form that defined his early years in Houston. Who knows, maybe best case scenario, McCormick makes the MLB roster and pays a visit to play the Astros at Daikin Park one day.

After Tucker signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the outfield path for McCormick becomes less crowded. Cubs outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, and Ian Happ, all three All-Stars, are his playing time competitors, and have no chance of getting moved anytime soon.

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