Minor League Placement 2027

[allen6510w]

 

Comments: These are not predictions of what the Cubs will or should do - these are my hopes for minor league placement next spring. 

Clearly, the I-Cubs need to sign a lot of minor league free agents! 

Hopefully, the Cubs will add Kohl Franklin to the 40-man roster. 

[allen6510w]

The Cubs released C Jairo Diaz a week or so ago.   Unfortunately, he never fully recovered from a shoulder injury injury he suffered in 2024.   I was intrigued by his CS% which wasn't bad and the numbers he put on in low-A last year (SSS alert), but he didn't get added to the AAA roster last fall,  he didn't hit this year, and his shoulder gave out again this summer,

On the positive side, as many of you know,  the Cubs picked up Julian Aguiar last week.  With 2 minor league options remaining as of 2027, he is one of the better options for Iowa's starting rotation next year.  Of course, he might be waived an additional three times and in his 4th organization this year by then - we'll see! 

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

On 9/19/2026 at 7:39 AM, allen6510w said:

 

Comments: These are not predictions of what the Cubs will or should do - these are my hopes for minor league placement next spring. 

Clearly, the I-Cubs need to sign a lot of minor league free agents! 

Hopefully, the Cubs will add Kohl Franklin to the 40-man roster. 

These are always hard to do and this is pretty good. 

Main note I would say is I believe Hartshorn should go back to COF next year. The Cubs seem confident in his ability there and he had some bumps and bruises in August which moved him to 1B.

For the pitching group, I hope Brooks Caple gets a chance to start at Iowa. I think Kaleb Wing will at least miss the start of next season since he had TJS midway through this year.

Also curious to see how bad Will Sanders' injury was at the end of this past season. They placed him on the 60-day IL so I'm a little worried it might something that will keep him out at the start of next season.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2 hours ago, allen6510w said:

The Cubs released C Jairo Diaz a week or so ago.   Unfortunately, he never fully recovered from a shoulder injury injury he suffered in 2024.   I was intrigued by his CS% which wasn't bad and the numbers he put on in low-A last year (SSS alert), but he didn't get added to the AAA roster last fall,  he didn't hit this year, and his shoulder gave out again this summer,

On the positive side, as many of you know,  the Cubs picked up Julian Aguiar last week.  With 2 minor league options remaining as of 2027, he is one of the better options for Iowa's starting rotation next year.  Of course, he might be waived an additional three times and in his 4th organization this year by then - we'll see! 

 

I could see Ivan Céspedes at Myrtle Beach again to replace Jairo as backup C.

[Post Count Padder]

I feel like McCullough has nothing left to prove at AA. Do they start him or Caple or Dean in Iowa? Feel like they should all be there.

[Bertz]

Yeah the Iowa rotation is probably the biggest open question right now

- Caple and McCullough deserve to be there but will they instead open at Tenn in the name of preserving depth?

- Assad doesn't deserve to be there but probably will be in the name of preserving depth

- Is Sanders healthy?

- Wiggins gets another shot at the rotation, right?

- Does Kipp get more runway at sticking in the rotation?

- Does Wicks get DFA'd?

- I believe Franklin and Conrad have to be added to the 40 if we want to keep them?

- Given how few of the guys above are someone you could count on for start in April, you probably have to add a Vince Velazquez type veteran or two?

It's a very weird short term situation for a group that is actually fairly talented.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I mentioned this in the offseason thread but if Wiggins has his velo back it'd be hard for me to not immediately put him in the bullpen for the role Ben Brown had at the start of the year 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1 hour ago, Post Count Padder said:

I feel like McCullough has nothing left to prove at AA. Do they start him or Caple or Dean in Iowa? Feel like they should all be there.

Dean also ended the season on the 60-day IL (like Will Sanders), so would be nice to see if he's healthy.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

Yeah the Iowa rotation is probably the biggest open question right now

- Caple and McCullough deserve to be there but will they instead open at Tenn in the name of preserving depth?

- Assad doesn't deserve to be there but probably will be in the name of preserving depth

- Is Sanders healthy?

- Wiggins gets another shot at the rotation, right?

- Does Kipp get more runway at sticking in the rotation?

- Does Wicks get DFA'd?

- I believe Franklin and Conrad have to be added to the 40 if we want to keep them?

- Given how few of the guys above are someone you could count on for start in April, you probably have to add a Vince Velazquez type veteran or two?

It's a very weird short term situation for a group that is actually fairly talented.

Wonder if McCullough goes to the pen where his stuff will play up (plus he just doesn't have the innings history to start long-term).

Franklin, Noland (I assume that's who you meant instead of Conrad), Sanders and McCullough all are 40-man eligible. Franklin is a true minor league free agent too.