Cubs Minor League Hitter of the Month: May 2024

[Jake Russell]

The Chicago Cubs farm system is full of fantastic hitting prospects, and May was no exception. There were so many great performances from Cubs farm hands this month, and they deserve to be spotlighted.

Image courtesy of Ginnie Coleman/Iowa Cubs

Honorable Mentions

C Moises Ballesteros: 124 wRC+, 9.2 BB%, 12.8 K%, 5 2B, 2 HR
Ballesteros followed up his Player of the Month-worthy April with a very strong May, continuing to show his incredibly advanced plate discipline for such a young age, especially at Double-A Tennessee. 

OF Leonel Espinoza: 171 wRC+, 8.3 BB%, 15.0 K%, 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR
Espinoza played just 13 games in May, but the results were astounding. The 21-year-old has an astounding 27.8 line drive percentage. Unfortunately, he landed on the 7-day injured list, but hopefully, he can get healthy soon and continue this torrid stretch. 

OF Yohendrick Pinango: 130 wRC+, 7.7 BB%, 18.3 K%, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR
Pinango earned himself a mid-month call-up to Double-A, and though he struggled a bit, his performance at High-A earned him a spot in the honorable mentions. He had a 1.092 OPS in High-A, though that number dropped under .600 in Double-A. That said, Pinango will be Rule 5 eligible this off-season and is making a strong case to be protected. 

Alexander Canario, OF: 147 wRC+, 9.8 BB%, 25.6 K%, 6 2B, 7 HR
To begin the month, Canario was in the majors before being optioned back to Triple-A due to several hitters returning from IL stints. Since returning, Canario has continued to showcase his plus power in an every day role. 

---

May’s Top 3 Cubs MiLB Hitters of the Month

#3 - Pedro Ramirez, 2B/3B: 124 wRC+, 7.3 BB%, 13.8 K%, 4 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR
Ramirez is one of the most underrated bats in the Cubs farm system. He’s just 20 years old and one of the younger players in the Midwest League. He is fourth in wRC+ among players aged 20 or younger in the Midwest League and has showcased a fantastic ability to avoid strikeouts. Pedro Ramirez could be a riser in Cubs farm system rankings later in the year.

#2 - Felix Stevens, OF/1B: 178 wRC+, 17.8 BB%, 27.7 K%, 2 2B, 7 HR
Do you believe in the Steve? I know I do. Stevens’ month of May was incredible, and the only reason he isn’t number one is the fact that he is 24 in High-A. Of course, that doesn’t take away from his performance, but context matters. Stevens displays top-end power but also a lot of swing and miss. It will be interesting to see how he develops–if he can keep the K% below 30%, we could see a call to Double-A soon.

---

May Cubs Minor League Hitter of the Month

Brennen Davis, OF: 164 wRC+, 14.0 BB%, 16.3 K%, 2 2B, 7 HR
Was there any other option? The Cubs' former #1 prospect has begun to experience a resurgence after suffering a string of injuries dating back to 2022, and the month included a four-game home run streak and a stretch where he hit seven across eight games. Still just 24 years old, Brennen is likely the next man up in the outfield should injuries betray the Cubs again this season.

View full article