Brooks Caple's Breakout Has Given Cubs More Leeway with Top Pitching Prospects at Trade Deadline

[Cory Sparks]

Image courtesy of © Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs’ starting rotation has been about as bruised up as any in all of MLB this year. With the trade deadline fast approaching and the team still very much in the hunt for an NL Central title, it makes sense to theorize who they could get from outside of the building. The Cubs’ farm system doesn’t have a ton of league-ready arms, after all.

And yet, Brooks Caple has been quickly making a name for himself as a lockdown starting pitcher. Could he help the cause in the second half?

Brooks Caple's Updated Cubs Scouting Report

Caple is a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher in Chicago’s pipeline, and he currently ranks as the team’s 12th-ranked prospect, per North Side Baseball and MLB Pipeline. Caple is a tall glass of water, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 230 pounds in his second year of professional baseball. 

The Cubs selected him in the ninth round (272nd overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Lamar, but his makeup truly evolved as he made his way through the college ranks. The righty was originally a reliever at Stephen F. Austin for a pair of years before he hit the transfer portal and became a starter for Lamar. This change of scenery, and a successful offseason, led to him winning Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year honors while garnering a 2.40 earned run average and just a 0.87 WHIP. 

An Impressive 2026 So Far

Once the Cubs selected Caple, he got going as a starter in 2025, logging a 4.48 ERA with 74 punchouts and 43 walks in 98.1 innings pitched. In 2026, he has quickly become one of the team’s most prized possessions in the prospect world. 

The orthodox starter began the season with the South Bend Cubs (Cubs, High-A) and absolutely dazzled. He tallied a 3-1 record, 2.49 ERA and struck out 26 over 21.2 innings of work. This earned him a promotion to join the Knoxville Smokies (Double-A), and he’s only grown more impressive with the sample size. 

Caple has a 3-2 record with a 3.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and .221 batting average against in Knoxville. Outside of Jaxon Wiggins, Caple is the organization’s highest-rated arm to grace the Double-A level. 

A Lethal Fastball

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Brooks Caple’s fastball. What was once a 90-91 mile per hour offering at the collegiate level can now sit in the mid-90s with the potential to touch 98. Caple has found a way to generate more spin on the ball, leading to arm-side carry to supplement an offering that is already gaining velocity. The 23-year-old effectively gets downhill, using a three-quarter arm slot delivery and above-average extension (release point in proximity to the plate) to give opposing hitters fits. 

Pick Your Poison

Most starting pitchers have a couple of pitches that grade as average or better, especially as they’re still working up the minor league ladder. Caple has five different offerings, all earning at least a 50-grade on MLB Pipeline’s 20-to-80 scale. 

Along with the mid-90s fastball, he has a high-80s cutter, a curveball, slider and changeup. The carrying fastball leads the charge at a 60-grade, while the slider is currently at a 55. 

Projected Call-Up Date

When will Caple get the call to the big leagues? This may sound premature, but depending on what pieces the big-league ball club adds at the Aug. 3 trade deadline (and further injury misfortune), he could debut as early as the end of this September. Chicago has 12 pitchers in their top-30 list. Right now, Grant Kipp and Wiggins are the only two who are healthy and have made it to Triple-A. Brandon Birdsell is also close to the big leagues, but he’s recovering from an elbow reconstruction procedure that has him out for the season. 

If Caple keeps opposing teams’ numbers down and can climb to Triple-A Iowa prior to the minor-league playoffs, he'll be in contention for an Opening Day roster spot in 2027 at the latest.

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