For the first time since the 1909 season, the Chicago Cubs will carry the enormous target that comes with being the defending World Series champions.
There's no shortage of talent returning for the upcoming season, and they will undoubtedly be among the favorites to win it all once again in 2017.
However, there are still some roster questions that need to be answered.
Dexter Fowler, Aroldis Chapman, Jason Hammel, Travis Wood, Chris Coghlan and Trevor Cahill are all key free agents from last year's squad, while David Ross rode off into the sunset in retirement and Jorge Soler was shipped to the Kansas City Royals in a winter meetings trade.
That leaves the club with some important depth-chart decisions to make this spring as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Ahead is an early look at how said depth chart might unfold, including projected starters at each position, the "next man up" should injury strike, further depth options at each position and an overview of the prospects that are poised to make an impact in 2017.
Think of this as a state of the franchise roughly one month from the start of spring training.
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