
Per Article XX-B of the CBA, any player on an MLB Reserve List who has accrued at least six years of MLB Service Time and who is not signed for the following season becomes a free-agent at 9 AM (Eastern) on the first day after the final game of the World Series (or 9 AM Eastern on October 15th if the World Series is cancelled).
Service time accrued while on the active roster of a foreign club(s) may be considered when determining Article XX-B and Article XIX-A contractual rights & eligibility.
The player's former club retains exclusive negotiating rights with an Article XX-B player up until 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series (or 5 PM Eastern on October 20th if the World Series is cancelled), after-which the player is free to sign a Major League contract (or minor league contract) with any club, including with the player's former club.
CUBS ARTICLE XX-B MLB FREE-AGENTS POST-2023 (updated 2-20-2023):
Tucker Barnhart, C (player opt-out)
Cody Bellinger, OF (mutual option)
Brad Boxberger, RHP (mutual option)
Michael Fulmer, RHP
Yan Gomes (club option)
Ian Happ, OF
Kyle Hendricks, RHP (club option)
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Trey Mancini, OF-1B (vesting player opt-out)
Drew Smyly, RHP (player opt-out)
Marcus Stroman (player opt-out)
An Article XX-B MLB free-agent who signs a Major League contract after 11:59 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Series (or after 11:59 Eastern on October 20th if the World Series is cancelled) receives automatic "no trade" rights that extend through June 15th of the following season, even if the player re-signs with his former club. An Article XX-B MLB Free-Agent who receives "no trade" rights this way can waive the right, but if he does, his club can trade the player only for player contracts and/or cash with a maximum aggregate value of $50,000. Note that a player who signs a Major League contract after becoming a free-agent by any other means (Outright Release, Non-Tendered, or Article XX-D or MLB Rule 9 minor league free-agent) does NOT receive automatic "no trade" rights through June 15th.
POST-2022 ARTICLE XX-B MLB PLAYERS ON CUBS MLB RESERVE LIST (updated 2-20-2023):
Tucker Barnhart, C
Brad Boxberger, RHP
Michael Fulmer, RHP
Trey Mancini, OF-1B
Drew Smyly, LHP
Dansby Swanson, INF
Jameson Taillon, RHP
If an Article XX-B MLB free-agent signs a minor league contract at least ten days prior to MLB Opening Day, and then is not selected to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) or MLB 60-day Injured List by 12 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day prior to MLB Opening Day, the player can unilaterally opt-out of the minor league contract immediately, or on May 1st if he has not been added to an MLB Reserve List or MLB 60-day IL by that date, or on June 1st if he has not been added to an MLB Active List (25-man roster) or an MLB IL by that date.
NOTE: The $100,000 retention bonus paid to an Article XX-B free-agent signed to a minor league contract who is not released or added to an MLB Reserve List or MLB 60-day IL by MLB Opening Day has been eliminated in 2023.
2022 ARTICLE XX-B MLB PLAYERS SIGNED TO 2023 MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACT (updated 10-6-2022):
NONE