DALLAS ¨C By the time Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer had landed in Texas on Sunday evening for the Winter Meetings, the news broke that superstar Juan Soto had agreed to a record contract with the Mets. That set the industry abuzz and created new lanes for teams to explore by Monday morning.

¡°It has so many ripple effects,¡± Hoyer said during a chat with Cubs media in his suite at the Hilton Anatole on Monday evening. ¡°The Soto thing just kind of made for more chatter.¡±

The Cubs were not vying for Soto ¨C who agreed to a 15-year, $765 million pact with the Mets ¨C but the ballclub could factor into the contingency plans of the small group of teams that missed out. Most notably, the versatile Cody Bellinger is a potential trade target as Chicago explores ways to tackle its own list of needs.

While the Cubs have addressed some items on their to-do list ¨C adding to the rotation (two-year deal with lefty Matthew Boyd), bullpen (trading for Eli Morgan) and catching depth (closing in on signing Carson Kelly) ¨C the team is still trying to find ways to enhance the lineup. Adding more to the rotation and bullpen also remains a priority.

• Cubs' history of Winter Meetings splashes

In order to accomplish the winter¡¯s tasks in totality, a trade would probably need to be part of the process. At a bare minimum, the Cubs will hear what other teams are thinking when it comes to trying to pry Bellinger away. Second baseman Nico Hoerner¡¯s name has also been floated in trade rumors.

¡°In order for a deal, for us, to make sense,¡± Hoyer said in reference to trades in general, ¡°it would have to clear whatever our replacement level at that position is, which has gotten harder and harder as we've gotten better and better. We have good position players at most positions.

¡°So, I think as you think through that, you're not going to, like, bend over backwards and do a big deal to add a half a win and have a negative asset in the future. All these different things, these are the things you're thinking about.¡±

The 29-year-old Bellinger is an attractive target for teams in search of offense ¨C especially some of the clubs who swung and missed in the Soto sweepstakes ¨C due to his ability to play center field, right field or first base. With the Cubs, he projects to get the bulk of his action in right field under the current roster construction.

Part of the calculus for Hoyer is the fact that the Cubs have a group of highly touted prospects beginning to knock on the big league door with little runway to the MLB roster. Players like infielder Matt Shaw (Pipeline¡¯s top Cubs prospect and No. 22 on the Top 100 list) and outfielder Owen Caissie (No. 2/No. 34) are among those on the radar for next season.

Bellinger turned in a strong showing in his initial season with the Cubs in ¡®23, hitting .307 with an .881 OPS and a 139 OPS+ (39% above average). He dealt with injuries that sapped his slugging percentage for spells in ¡®24, finishing with a .266 average, a .751 OPS and 111 OPS+ in 130 games.

Earlier this offseason, Bellinger decided to pick up his $27.5 million player option for ¡®25 instead of opting out and testing the open market. He has another opt-out clause looming next winter, when he can choose between a $25 million salary in ¡®26 or a $5 million buyout. That adds an added wrinkle to any possible trade talks.

And if the bar Hoyer referenced is not cleared in trade talks, the Cubs know they have a talented player in the fold. That is how Cubs manager Craig Counsell is choosing to see the situation, too.

¡°I'm glad Cody is back in the mix,¡± Counsell said on Monday evening. ¡°With Cody back in there kind of full-time post-Trade Deadline, I thought the lineup really started [to click]. The runs started to become consistent. That lineup produced runs. I think that's what we're looking at right now.¡±

Counsell downplayed the fact that Bellinger¡¯s name is popping up in trade chatter right now.

¡°Good players get asked about. That's just how this works now,¡± said the manager. ¡°I worry about it a little more during the season. In the offseason, it's just part of it. It's part of being a good player. It's a compliment in a lot of ways.¡±