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Cubs release former Top-20 prospect, Rookie of the Year finalist
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- Cubs release former Top-20 prospect, Rookie of the Year finalist
Outfielder Dylan Carlson, who was designated for assignment after playing three games with the Chicago Cubs in April, was released from his minor league contract May 4 according to his official transactions log .
Carlson was a consensus Top-20 prospect in MLB in 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals . He finished third in 2021 National League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting 18 home runs and slashing .266/.343/.437 in 149 games.
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Since then, Carlson has failed to live up to the hype. He was traded by the Cardinals to the Tampa Bay Rays in July 2024. He spent last season in the Baltimore Orioles organization, shuffling between the majors and Triple-A.
When Carlson signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in January, it gave him a pathway back to playing time in the same division where his career took off.
A promising spring training performance offered some hope Carlson could stick in the Cubs' outfield. In 20 Grapefruit League games, he slashed .298/.421/.404 with one home run and five RBIs.
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Carlson's strong performance allowed him to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster, but he played sparingly thereafter. His only start came in the second game of a doubleheader; his other two appearances came off the bench.
Overall, Carlson went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts before he was designated for assignment April 10. Carlson played 10 more games with Triple-A Iowa, but his bat failed to come around. He went 7-for-40 (.175) with two home runs, six RBIs, and 10 strikeouts.
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The Cardinals drafted Carlson in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft out of high school. He quickly rose the prospect ranks and participated in the 2019 Futures Game.
Still only 27, Carlson has a chance to rebuild his career in another organization, or perhaps in a foreign league if he's willing to travel. It just won't come with the Cubs organization despite his strong start to 2026.
