Chicago Cubs Star Falls Just Outside Top 10 in Latest Power Rankings

The Chicago Cubs may be on the rise moving forward, and one of their stars has helped lead the charge.

Sep 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Dansby Swanson (7) runs to first after hitting an RBI double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The 2024 campaign did not go to plan for the Chicago Cubs, who finished the year with an 83-79 record, sitting 10 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central lead.

For any team in that division, the only path to the playoffs is through finishing first, and the Cubs thought their addition of manager Craig Counsell would help their roster in the quest for that crown.

Though it did not end in a playoff appearance, 2024 was not entirely a loss as the team saw further development from young stars like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch, leaving the club open for a potential trade of Cody Bellinger this offseason if absolutely necessary.

Another bright spot for Chicago has been shortstop Dansby Swanson, who has consistently proven to be one of the best defenders at the position as well as providing roughly league-average production at the plate.

His exploits in 2024 have been noticed nationally, with Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranking Swanson 12th in the latest iteration of his shortstop power rankings.

"The numbers don't jump off the page, but Swanson has logged back-to-back 4-WAR seasons since joining the Cubs on a seven-year, $177 million deal in free agency in December 2022," writes Reuter, "he hit .242/.312/.390 with 27 doubles, 16 home runs, 66 RBI and 19 steals, and he was a Gold Glove finalist after taking home the NL hardware in 2022 and 2023."

His production at the plate this year was much closer to what should be expected of the veteran moving forward, as he is not someone who can consistently hit 20 or more home runs.

His particular set of skills is still much appreciated in the Cubs' lineup, since they do not need him to mash homers with guys like Busch and Ian Happ in the lineup.

Defensively, Swanson continues to prove his dominance over the rest of the sport at shortstop, tallying 18 Outs Above Average per Baseball Savant, the fourth most in baseball for any position, and the most by a shortstop, two ahead of Francisco Lindor's 16.

It was another consistent performance across the board for the veteran, something that everyone has grown to expect throughout his career.

Chicago made a splash when they signed him in free agency after the 2022 campaign, and to this point in the life of the contract, it has been worth every penny.