2026 Midseason Top Prospect List Updates

[Bertz]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

 

I agree but let the national publications juice all Cubs prospects.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Pipeline updated top 100:

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA’s updated top 100. Hartshorn is a top 30 prospect!

 

[Outshined_One]

That was fast.

[Rex Buckingham]

The production seems to warrant it

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I think Rojas is too low.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA also updated their org top 30s. Alcántara graduated. Caple, Beck and Schlaffer were new adds. Southisene at 9 is the shocker (besides their odd preference for Kepley over Wiggins and Conrad):

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

I think Rojas is too low.

Agreed. Hartshorn feels too high to me unless you're just 100% convinced he will absolutely play OF and Rojas feels way too low for how he's hitting and his age. I'd have both in that 50-65 range. 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I don't get the Florentino love. He has zero velo

[Outshined_One]

2 hours ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

I don't get the Florentino love. He has zero velo

Some people think he has some projection left in him, and he's been getting results despite the lack of velo.

The system is still light when it comes to pitching, so it's unsurprising to see guys like him pop up every now and again.

[Bertz]

Jostin's arm angle gives his FB great shape and makes it punch way above its raw velo

That said it still looks like a fairly reliever-y profile and 15 feels pretty rich to me.  He's certainly not above any of Caple, Sanders, or McGwire, like come on now.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

11 minutes ago, Bertz said:

He's certainly not above any of Caple, Sanders, or McGwire, like come on now.

I think that's what annoyed me the most

[lfg26]

On 7/1/2026 at 7:22 AM, CaliforniaRaisin said:

BA’s updated top 100. Hartshorn is a top 30 prospect!

 

In my personal top 20 list that I posted a few weeks ago, I pondered if there might be 5 cubs in the top 100. My ranking went like this: 

40ish -- Hartshorn

60ish -- Ramirez

80ish -- Rojas

90ish -- Ayers

95ish -- Kepley

I wasn't too far off with what BA just put out. I think I still like mine better, but it's nice to be somewhat validated. Owen Ayers and Kane Kepley have broken the door down into the top 100 imo. 

Edited 17 hours ago by lfg26

[lfg26]

I know a couple of you guys think Wiggins and Conrad should be above Ayers and Kepley. I understand what you're saying, but the best ability is availability. And being injury prone is not a great trait for a prospect (just look at our pitching staff!!). I feel like Hartshorn, Ramirez, Rojas, Ayers, and Kepley have all went out there and earned top 100 prospect status.

That doesn't at all mean I think Wiggins and Conrad (or even Wing/McGwire/Geraldo/etc.) don't have top 100 talent. That just means they need to show it on the field. And until they do, these 5 other guys shouldn't be held back in the rankings just because of what talent "might" be ahead of them. I'm rooting for all of them. Who knows, the cubs could actually have 7 top 100 prospects.... if Wiggins and Conrad start playing well, and the other 5 keep progressing.

then.... Ramirez loses eligibility, Wing steps in.... still 7 top 100 prospects.... LFGoooo!!!!!! 🙂

Edited 10 hours ago by lfg26

[lfg26]

And I'm going to re-do the top 100 ranking for those 5 players I gave a few weeks ago to this:

40ish -- Hartshorn

45ish -- Ramirez

50ish to 70ish -- Rojas, Ayers, Kepley (in any order)

....these five guys all being in the 40-70 range sounds about right to me. I know it would be statistically improbable to have 5 cubs ranked within a range of 30, but I honestly think that's what we have in terms of the quality of our prospects at this current moment in time.

Edited 8 hours ago by lfg26

[Rcal10]

3 hours ago, lfg26 said:

And I'm going to re-do the top 100 ranking for those 5 players I gave a few weeks ago to this:

40ish -- Hartshorn

45ish -- Ramirez

50ish to 70ish -- Rojas, Ayers, Kepley (in any order)

....these five guys all being in the 40-70 range sounds about right to me. I know it would be statistically improbable to have 5 cubs ranked within a range of 30, but I honestly think that's what we have in terms of the quality of our prospects at this current moment in time.

I think you are way high on Ayers and Kepley. I can definitely, at least, see the argument for where you have Hartshorn, Ramirez and Rojas. But I think there is a large gap to the next two. If they are even top 100, IMO, they are near the back of it, 85-100. 

[Outshined_One]

Part of the reason Hartshorn fell to the Cubs in the draft was due to a significant arm injury he'd dealt with his senior year of HS, which forced him to hit from only one side of the plate his senior year.

He's had a great season, but if you are using health history as a reason to ding guys, he has to be among them.