MLB Insiders Poll Reveals Why Alex Bregman Is Such a Key Cubs Signing

The Chicago Cubs will be getting a lot from their newest third baseman when the season comes around, but he is already helping the team get better in Spring Training.

Alex Bregman | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Spring Training is upon us, and that means a few different things. While it's an opportunity for players to brush the rust off, it is also a time for new teammates to start building chemistry with one another before Opening Day.

That is exactly what is happening for the Cubs' newest third baseman, Alex Bregman. It is safe to say that Bregman was brought aboard to replace the production that Kyle Tucker took with him to Los Angeles, but that is not the only aspect of him that both Craig Counsell and Jed Hoyer were interested in.

Counsell quickly picked up that Bregman wants to help out. He spoke to Ken Rosenthal via the Athletic, stating, "Bregman not only possesses a wonderful grasp of data, but also shares it with teammates in ways they can easily digest, making his knowledge all the more valuable."

Feb 11, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs Alex Bregman (3) hits live batting practice during spring training camp at Sloan Park. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

If Bregman is able to start helping Chicago six weeks before the season even opens, then good things are to come. He has years of experience winning in both the regular season and the postseason. By the time October rolls around, that will make all the difference.

MLB executives weigh in on Bregman

Jayson Stark of MLB.com conducts a poll every spring before the season starts, and this year it included the question "who was the most irreplaceable subtraction any team endured this season?" 36 MLB executives were polled, and Bregman was the No.1 answer.

Stark stated, "So you can replace his at-bats. You can stick someone else at third base. You can divvy up his money. But, as our voters clearly conveyed, when it comes to all the other stuff, you can’t replace that." He also added that Bregman is "the most magnetic personality in every clubhouse he enters."

Feb 11, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs Alex Bregman (3) hits live batting practice during spring training camp at Sloan Park. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

He also added voters' takes on the matter: “I think losing him hurts the core young guys in Boston,” one said. Another noted, "I have to go with Bregman because of everything he brings, even off the field.”

Bregman in 2025

With Bregman playing in the AL East last season, Cubs fans might not have paid all that much attention to the year he just had. Ultimately, if he can stay healthy, Chicago could be able to take down the reigning world champions.

With the Red Sox last year, Bregman missed some time with a severe quad strain, but make no mistake, without him, there is no way Boston makes it to the playoffs.

Alex Bregman taking Jameson Taillon yard in live BP👀pic.twitter.com/OVZw4zbEWO

— Big League Digest (@BigLeagueDigest) February 13, 2026

Amongst players that stepped onto the field in at least 100 games for the Red Sox, Bregman led in batting average (.273) and on-base percentage (.360). In 114 games, he averaged more than a hit per game and finished his lone year with the club with 18 long balls and 63 runners brought in.

The Cubs will count on his offensive production, but it appears that he will do more than contribute individually, as he is ready to help make everyone around him better as well.

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