Article: Cubs Minor League Hitter of the Month - April 2024

[Jason Ross]

Many of the Cubs best prospects had really solid starts to their 2024 campaign. Which one of them stood out over the rest?

Image courtesy of Tennessee Smokies

April is always a fun month and full of hope. For the Cubs, it also saw the promotion of some of it's biggest name prospects. Luckily for the Cubs, their farm system is stacked with interesting prospects to follow. Also luckily for the Cubs, many of their best prospects had big first months of the season. 

Honorable Mentions 
3B Matt Shaw: 150 wRC+, 25.3 K%, 16 BB%, 1 3B, 3 HR: Okay, his last few weeks have been lackluster, but also highlights how torrid of a start he got off to. It was an imbalanced month, but his incredible walk rate (a new plate approach seems to be in the works) and a 150 wRC+ in Double-A is going to get you landed as an honorable mention regardless. If his month had been more consistent, he'd be much, much higher.

OF Kevin Alcantara: 113 wRC+, 26 K%, 5 BB%, 2B, 4 HR: `Alcantara is the anti-Shaw, starting his season off with 10 straight hitless games. Since then, he's posted a 228 wRC+, with eight extra-base hits, a Strikeout Rate under 20% and is absolutely crushing the baseball. The overall line isn't good enough to get onto the podium for April, but he belongs in the conversation based on his last two weeks. 

IF Luis Vazquez: 142 wRC+, 22 K%, 8 BB%, 5 2B, 3 HR: Man, it's rough to have to relegate the Iowa Cubs shortstop to the honorable mentions category, but I just can't find a way to justify him higher. Regardless, Luis absolutely crushed April, and at some point, the Cubs may have to ask themselves if he can give them more with the bat than Nick Madrigal can. 

OF Owen Caissie: 129 wRC+, 30.9 K%, 17.3 BB%, 8 2B, 1 HR: It's just a matter of times the doubles turn into home runs for the slugging outfielder. The K's are a bit elevated but not horrible for his age or for his first run at Triple-A. This has been one of his better starts, and if he continues to do what he's done at the previous levels - which is turn on the jets - come June...watch out.

April's Top 3 Cubs Minor League Hitters of the Month

#3 - 2B James Triantos: 142 wRC+, 10 K%, 6.3 BB%, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR
Triantos absolutely went bonkers this month in Tennessee. He's getting the edge on a few of the above players (a common theme of the top-3) due to age and context: he's just 21 years old and just starting his time in Tennessee at Double-A. We can debate his defensive ability and position, but this exercise is all about the bat. With eight extra base hits, he's showing more signs of power without losing an inch of contact ability. 

#2 - SS Jefferson Rojas: 126 wRC+, 18.2 K%, 8 BB%, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR
Did players have better overall lines than Rojas who are currently sitting in the Honorable Mentions category? Yes, they did. None of them, however, turned 18-years-old this month, and playing at High-A and that gives Rojas the edge in my book. This is as good of an April offensively you could have drawn up for the shortstop. Continuing to sport a low strikeout rate at more advanced levels fills me with some hope that this is truly a breakout prospect with star potential. With that said, being 18 years old at High-A just isn't enough to topple...

April's Cubs Minor League Hitter of the Month:
C Moises Ballesteros, C : 184 wRC+, 13.8 K%, 15.5 BB%, 2 2B, 3 HR
A 184 wRC+ will do it. The reality is that this wasn't even close, Big Mo absolutely ran away with this month's awards. Let's put it this way: a 184 wRC+ with a strikeout to walk ratio in favor of the walks is the type of thing I write up for my "hot or not" weekly section, not for 58 plate appearances spanning a month. This is ridiculous. And to keep the theme of the month here; he's only 20 years old. and in his first taste of Tennessee. Tons has been made about his ability or inability to stick at catcher, but if he's going to hit like this...he can be a DH and we'll all get on with our lives.

Have yourself a month, Mo!

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