Cubs Prospect Brett Bateman Might Be Closer to the Big Leagues Than You Think

[Cory Sparks]

Image courtesy of © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brett Bateman just missed our ranking of the Cubs' top 20 prospects this spring, but his performance in the Cactus League might already be proving us wrong. How close might he be to helping the parent club?

Painting the Picture
Bateman has already proven to be a steal. Since being drafted out of the University of Minnesota, the 2023 eighth-round pick has ascended into the Cubs’ top 30 prospects list, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Bateman currently has 233 minor-league contests under his belt across four different levels. His most recent stop was with the Double-A Knoxville Smokies, where he spent his last 28 games of 2024 and all of 2025. 

2025
After wrapping up his 2024 campaign two steps from the big leagues, the rangy outfielder spent all of last season there. Don’t mistake his longer tenure for a flat trajectory, though. He hit .261 with a pair of long balls, 33 runs batted in and 19 stolen bags in 94 contests. He struck out 82 times against 61 walks, showing a keen eye and above-average bat-to-ball skills. 

Strength: Speed
Even when he was viewed as a low-grade prospect in college, no one doubted Bateman's burners. The former Golden Gopher has a 70 speed grade on the 20-80 scouting scale. Without that, he probably wouldn't even have merited a look in pro ball. The speed translates far beyond the base paths, too: Bateman is regarded as a plus defender in center field.

However, he also hit .500 in 13 games in the Cape Cod League the summer before he was drafted, so there's some feel for hitting here—amplified by his wheels. With a good eye at the plate, Bateman ranked third in walk rate (15%) and sixth in on-base percentage (.376) among qualified Double-A hitters.

Weakness: Lack of Slug
As you might guess, Bateman's speed and contact skills were known strengths even when he was in school. He fell to the eighth round because those skills have to compensate for a galling absence of power. In 233 professional games, Bateman has only hit three home runs. That makes a player nearly unplayable, unless they do everything else well.

Bateman’s game is mainly about beating the ball into the ground and racing the baseball to first base. It’s the same blueprint major-league talent Chandler Simpson uses, but Simpson is a pretty limited player, and his speed is a grade better than Bateman's. His lack of any power has kept a pretty low ceiling on him throughout his time in the Cubs organization. He's hit five of his 14 batted balls this spring over 100 MPH (including three at 104+), but only one of them was hit at a positive launch angle. That has to change, if he's to have any meaningful offensive impact in the majors.

When Will He Debut?
With plenty of experience at Double-A already, Bateman could spend this entire season at Triple-A. It'll be his age-24 season, so there's no reason why he can't come up to the big-league team late in the season, if injuries open the door to it. He has to be added to the 40-man roster this November or be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, so if he has a good season, the Cubs could want to get an early look at him against top-level pitchers.

Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are nearing the end of their contracts, and fellow top prospect Kevin Alcántara has struggled with an above-average strikeout rate. Could Bateman take his cup of coffee at the end of this year? Don’t rule it out. There's still a chance he never plays in the majors at all, but if he stays healthy and can find a way to produce a bit more thump, he could carve out a solid career as a fourth outfielder—beginning as soon as this summer.

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[craig]

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He's hit five of his 14 batted balls this spring over 100 MPH (including three at 104+), but only one of them was hit at a positive launch angle. That has to change, if he's to have any meaningful offensive impact in the majors.

Interesting that he's hit some that hard.  Promising?  

"has a 70 speed grade".  That's kinda weird, or maybe meaningless?  Being only 19/6 SB/CS, when he had 75 singles and 61 walks, that suggests he's a pretty useless base-stealer despite his speed.  To reach 1B by single/walk 136 times, yet rarely even try to steal, and have only a JAG success ratio when he tries, that's not really what you'd guess for a 70-speed guy whose game is built around small-ball.  Must lack instinct or quick acceleration or something.  

We often use HR as a proxy for power, but doubles and triples are a big deal.  Bateman had 75 singles but only 9 doubles, and despite his speed not a single triple.  That's kinda crazy.  If he can be whacking ≥100 EV, you'd think some doubles and triples ought to be possible.  

Other thought is that big-league defense is amazing.  With "mainly about beating the ball into the ground and racing the baseball to first base", it's harder to win that race against big-league defenders.  

My theory is always that contact hitters are better able to adapt and optimize their hitting than are contact-challenged guys.  Hopefully he can drive a few more line drives and get more doubles and triples?  And maybe somehow figure out how to steal bases in volume.