LAS VEGAS – The offseason of the free agent shortstop is here again.

For the second straight year, the shortstop market is flush with elite talent. And you can bet the Cubs will continue to feel out their options at that position.

“I look at the shortstop situation kind of the way you look at the draft,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said at the GM Meetings on Wednesday, “which is, if you drafted a shortstop every year you’d be in good shape. The best defenders usually play shortstop, the best athletes often play shortstop, those are guys you can move around.”

Hoyer pointed to his own shortstop Nico Hoerner, who was Top-5 fielder at his position by defensive WAR this season, according to FanGraphs. He also was a Gold Glove finalist at second base two years ago.

“It’s a position where you can have multiple guys that can do it,” said Hoyer, who helped build a team that played Addison Russell and Javier B?ez side by side during the Cubs’ last championship window.

Now, imagine Hoerner playing alongside one of this winter’s top free agent shortstops. Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson headline the class.

“It’s just a rare, rare time to have players at young ages who are so demonstrated and accomplished at their position,” agent Scott Boras said of the shortstop market in a press conference Wednesday.

Boras also represents Correa and Bogaerts, so he’s inclined to rave about his players. But the point stands: This offseason presents a golden opportunity for teams looking to upgrade their middle infield.

When asked if he expected the Cubs would go after his shortstops, Boras said: “I think that any team that wants to get a lot better is going to go after the best players. And those rare shortstops who give you that two-way dynamic, they’re generational, they’re hard to find.”

The Cubs’ payroll next season is expected to be higher than this year’s. But annual value is only part of the calculation. Length of contract clearly played into their “intelligent spending” approach last winter. That won’t change this year.

In general, contracts approaching double-digit years for position players approaching 30 are going extinct. Don’t look for Hoyer to buck the trend to woo a shortstop. Correa is the youngest of those Top-4 free agent shortstops, and he turned 28 in September.

This phase of the Cubs’ rebuild, after a 74-88 season, makes for a hefty offseason wish list that can’t be checked off with one acquisition. The club will be focussed on adding pitching and offensive power. The latter could come from a number of positions.

The team has an opening in center field, and injuries to outfield prospects Brennen Davis and Alexander Canario have thinned their depth at the position.

“We have guys internally that will certainly play out there,” Hoyer said, “but I think the lion’s share might come from external.”

At first base, Hoyer said prospect Matt Mervis has “earned a lot of runway and playing time going forward.” Mervis, a power-hitting left-handed batter, climbed from High-A to Triple-A this past season, mashing 36 home runs. He then extended his run of success through the Arizona Fall League and was named Fall Stars Game MVP.

“He’s very much our plans,” Hoyer said. “But I think we’re also going to be active and exploring alternatives that can play first, that can play DH. And that I think it’s really important.”

Building in contingencies wouldn’t prevent the Cubs from giving Mervis the chance to prove himself in the big-leagues, but depth at first base would also take some of the pressure off him in his debut season.

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With 2:32 left in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game at the United Center, the Bulls had their glass-cleaner back.

After missing six games with a left shoulder sprain, veteran big man Andre Drummond finally displayed enough mobility during the pre-game warm-up to get the head nod to return to action.

While there was definitely some rust that still needed to be worked through, Drummond quickly registered two rebounds in his five minutes of work.

Coach Billy Donovan was just glad to have his reserve center back out there.

“Certainly on the glass, rebounding,” Donovan said, when asked what was lost with Drummond sidelined. “He’s been an elite rebounder. Going back to that Toronto game in Toronto, we really got hurt with the impact he would or would not have made.

“He’s another screener, a guy that can roll and put pressure at the basket. He’s been a really positive addition for us, and for the minutes he’s gotten he’s played really well.”

That’s a bit of an understatement.

In just 16.8 minutes per game entering the meeting with the Pelicans, Drummond was averaging 10.2 rebounds per game. That would translate to about 20 rebounds per game if he was a 30-minute guy.

He also led the Bulls in player efficiency rating with 22.81, just in front of DeMar DeRozan’s 21.39.

What Donovan has really liked about Drummond is how he’s worked coming off the bench, especially with that second unit. The top five plus-minus leaders on the team so far this season have been the bench players, led by Alex Caruso and his plus-71. Drummond was fifth, sporting a plus-29.

Even with Drummond’s return, however, the Bulls were still playing a bit short-handed, as Coby White remained sidelined with a thigh contusion.

The Bulls are off until Sunday, and Donovan was hoping that White could be ready to return then.

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Jeremy Fears Jr.’s return to Joliet West never seemed likely. As recently as August Fears had committed to play his senior season at the prestigious Overtime Elite league in Atlanta. The suddenness of the return has added to the excitement at the school and in Joliet as basketball season approaches.

Fears played at Joliet West as a freshman and then transferred to La Lumiere, a prep school in Indiana, when his sophomore season was delayed due to COVID. He achieved national prominence at La Lumiere, which plays on ESPN regularly.

Fears won two gold medals playing with USA teams in the summer. He’s the highest-ranked player in the state, currently checking in at No. 33 on 247sports. It’s been nearly 30 years since a Joliet player reached those heights.

The six-foot guard had his choice of a dozen high-major colleges and picked Michigan State. He signed his National Letter of Intent at a ceremony at Joliet West on Wednesday.

Choosing Michigan State was an easier decision than deciding where to spend his senior year. Fears’ father, Jeremy Fears Sr. still isn’t sure that returning home was the right move for his son.

“We will see how it goes,” Fears Sr, a standout player at Joliet Township and in college, said. “I hope it works out. I’m just worried that some of the accolades that he wants, like being a McDonald’s All-American, aren’t as realistic now. But he’s happy and he’s in a good space and that’s important.”

One of the major draws for Fears Jr. was the chance to play with his brother, sophomore Jeremiah Fears.

“It was tough to make this decision to come home but I just felt that deep down inside this is what was meant to be,” Fears Jr. said.

Joliet isn’t exactly a destination town. And as far as high schools go, Joliet Catholic is seen as the top choice by many residents. So when a kid that could play anywhere in the country chooses Joliet West, it resonates with the school and the community on a level far greater than just basketball.

“It was a group decision with his family and sometimes in group decisions everyone doesn’t agree,” Joliet West coach Jeremy Kreiger said. “But there is a lot to be said for someone who wants to blaze their own trail and become a legend from their hometown.”

More than 70 scouts and executives from 29 NBA teams attended Overtime Elite’s Pro Day in late October. There’s no doubt that Fears chose the less glamorous spot for his senior year.

“Yeah, it has definitely put a chip on my shoulder,” Fears Jr. said. “But we have a great schedule this year, playing all the best teams. This is where I wanted to be. I want to win a state championship in Joliet.”

While the Fears brothers are just starting their basketball journey together, a pair of brothers from Rolling Meadows are farther along. Cameron Christie, the younger brother of current LA Laker Max Christie, signed his letter of intent to Minnesota on Wednesday.

Like Fears Jr., Max Christie made the uncommon decision to stay and play at his home high school and signed with Michigan State. It all worked out well for Christie.

Cameron, a 6-5 senior, hasn’t received the avalanche of hype his older brother garnered. But that could change this season. Rolling Meadows has an excellent team and Christie is an elite scorer. He’s prepared for the extra effort every defender will put on the brother of a Laker this season.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Christie said. “It’s a privilege to be able to have that and I’m confident in my own abilities. I’m not trying to block that out at all. It’s just going to add some more entertainment to the season.”

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LAS VEGAS – With Johnny Cueto likely gone in free agency, Lucas Giolito’s level of effectiveness a question mark after his 2022 dud and Michael Kopech still on the path toward establishing himself as a top of the rotation starter, the White Sox essentially have two anchors in the starting five in 2022 Cy Young finalist Dylan Cease and 35-year-old 2021 Cy Young finalist Lance Lynn.

That’s a fine pillar for a crucial segment of the roster, even with Lynn, who posted a 3.99 ERA in 21 starts after missing the first two and a half months following knee surgery, needing to re-establish his footing as he earns $18.5 million in 2023. Cease was the best starter in the AL besides Justin Verlander.

In any event, general manager Rick Hahn has four at this early stage of the offseason and will need to fetch at least one more if contending for the postseason is the goal. Hahn needs a second baseman and outfield help, the most talked about areas of need, but one or two holes in the most vital of areas of the roster demands his full attention, too.

Reynaldo Lopez (2.76 ERA in 2022) and Jimmy Lambert (3.26), who both have starting experience, will stay in the bullpen, Hahn said Tuesday at the GM meetings. Davis Martin, who spot-started nine times to the tune of a 5.48 ERA (4.83 in 14 games), is pegged for a similar role.

As Hahn said, Cueto’s expected departure leaves a void.

“Finding a way to fill that would be good,” Hahn said. “Now, Martin’s an option so it’s not an emergency by any stretch, but no one is ever going to feel comfortable that they have enough pitching.”

Indeed. The Sox would be looking for a back-end type, presumably a better addition than Vince Velasquez turned out to be for $3 million last season even if Cueto were under contract.

Left-hander Garrett Crochet will have a plan mapped out for him to become a starter but he is coming off Tommy John surgery and will pitch out of the bullpen when ready this season.

Kopech, 5-9 with a 3.54 ERA in 25 starts, pitched through knee problems and should report to spring training at 100 percent with substantial upside in his pocket.

Giolito, 11-9 with a 4.90 ERA in 30 starts, will be paid around $10.8 million per FanGraphs calculations in his last season before free agency, so there’s motivation, not that the former All-Star and Opening Day starter needs it. Hahn is “optimistic” Giolito, with help from pitching coach Ethan Katz, will revert to his past form.

“Expect him coming to camp ready to go,” Hahn said.

“If there’s one guy you know is going to work on it, and work diligently and methodically with a plan, it’s Lucas.”

Hahn reiterated this week that trades are the more likely avenue of improving the roster, but he also said he expected payroll to be similar to the $196 million of 2022, which allows for more than $30 million to be added.

The top of the free agent class is likely too pricey for the Sox, who don’t shop for starting pitching in the Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodon, Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, Jameson Taillon aisles. Perhaps Taijuan Walker, Jose Quintana, Ross Stripling, Tyler Anderson are deemed affordable.

Perhaps Hahn will pull off a trade or two that would capture bigger headlines than a free-agent signing. He has plenty of trade capital at his disposal with no one viewed as untouchable should the right deal present himself.

NOTES: Scot Boras, asked at the meeting if he was set on bringing new client Dylan Cease to free agency in 2025, reminded that his client Stephen Strasburg signed an extension with the Nationals in 2016 before becoming a free agent.”Our job is to just listen, take information, and then we transfer that to Dylan and see what he wants,” Boras said.

*ESPN will televise 2023 MLB Opening Night on March 30 featuring the White Sox against the World Series champion Astros in Houston at 6 p.m. CT.

*James Boscardin, a team physician from 1981-2003, has died, the Sox said.

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