First Impressions From Ethan Conrad's First 30 Pro Games With Cubs

[Cory Sparks]

Image courtesy of Baseball America

Ethan Conrad is the Chicago Cubs’ first-round pick from the 2025 MLB Draft, and we finally have a decent sample size of professional baseball to work with. Now that he’s healthy and back on the diamond, let’s dive into the early impressions of Conrad, who joined the team just over a year ago. 

Ethan Conrad's Updated Cubs Scouting Report

Conrad is Chicago’s No. 4 prospect, per our updated prospect rankings. The 22-year-old Wake Forest alum was the 17th overall pick in last year’s draft, and he brings a well-rounded skillset to the table. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds, his hit and run tools hold the highest grades at 55 apiece. While he has a larger frame, the left-handed hitting outfielder can move, capturing headlines for leading NCAA Division I with 13 triples in his days with Marist. 

Injuries & Cubs' First-Round History

It’s been a little over a year since the former Demon Deacon joined the organization, but a few injuries kept him off the field until he made his debut in June. The outfield prospect had both a torn left labrum and a shoulder dislocation that sidelined him for the majority of his final collegiate season, and a lower-back injury pushed his debut time back as well.

The Cubs haven’t had the best luck with first rounders over the past few years. Jordan Wicks (2021) has floated back and forth between the big leagues and Triple-A Iowa, as the southpaw now possesses a 5.72 career ERA in the majors. As for their 2022 first round pick, Cade Horton made a case for National League Rookie of the Year last season. However, the Oklahoma alum is down with a UCL injury that took him out for the year. 

Matt Shaw was the team’s first round selection in 2023, and he has shown promise on both sides of the baseball through his first two MLB seasons. Cam Smith (2024) is now with the Astros, as the Cubs dealt him in the Kyle Tucker trade last season. This is all to say that there’s pressure on the North Siders to hit with a first round selection.

Progress Up To Myrtle Beach

Conrad is 30 games into his professional baseball career, and he’s slashing .257/.328/.451 (.779 OPS) over between rookie ball and Low-A Myrtle Beach. The outfielder has five homers, 22 runs batted and 11 extra-base hits, showing the potential to be a potent power bat. He's only managed to steal one base thus far, but he does also have a triple on the season. As he fills out his frame, it’ll be interesting to keep an eye on whether he prioritizes power, speed or can have the best of both worlds. 

Attacking Early

It’s important not to gather too many conclusions from a 30-game sample size, but here are some early takeaways from Conrad’s first real look at Minor League Baseball. For one, he’s jumping on pitches in the zone. Not only does Conrad swing at 75.1% of pitches thrown in the zone (89th percentile), but he’s only whiffing 16.2 percent of the time (92nd percentile). MLB Pipeline describes him as an aggressive hitter who can make up for it with remarkable hand-eye coordination, and so far that has translated to the Low-A level. 

The Cubs’ rising star also doesn’t strike out a ton, just 20.8 percent of the time. The more he can put the ball in play, the easier it’ll be to justify an attack-oriented approach.

Being Picky, Finding Speed

Conrad has a long way to go, but seeing him be a little more selective would likely give him more pitches that he can do damage with. The first-year professional walks just 8.9 percent of the time (27th percentile). The more hitters counts he can get into, the greater likelihood he’ll either earn a free pass or see a more appetizing option over the plate. 

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