Chicago Cubs 2026 Top 20 Prospects, No. 10: James Triantos

One thing I wonder about is if the insane run environment in the International League makes a high contact / low power guy like Triantos look a little artificially worse.  A hitters park/league is going to juice the value of well hit fly balls.  If you have a guy who hits the ball on the ground a lot he's not getting as much benefit.  But on the flipside when leaving Iowa and going to Chicago you'd expect the groundball guy to lose less of his production?  That's not to say Triantos was secretly good last year, but more to say that like you said if in 2026 he's rocking a modest 110 wRC+ that's probably enough for me to feel like he can survive in the big leagues?

Overall there's still plenty to like in Triantos' profile.  He's going to play this full year at 23, so despite being around for what seems like forever he's still a positive age relative to league guy.  The contact numbers also create a pretty reasonable floor, I'm seeing only three hitters last year with a K rate under 15% and a wRC+ under 80.  He's also a modest plus with the glove and major plus on the bases.

It's probably a bench profile, but I wouldn't write that in stone.  The raw power is actually decent, so if he can add some lift and pull to his profile without sacrificing contact there's ceiling with the bat.  And even if he can't an Adam Frazier or Amed Rosario type bat that can actually play defense is probably a viable everyday starter, at least at peak.

2 hours ago, Bertz said:

One thing I wonder about is if the insane run environment in the International League makes a high contact / low power guy like Triantos look a little artificially worse.  A hitters park/league is going to juice the value of well hit fly balls.  If you have a guy who hits the ball on the ground a lot he's not getting as much benefit.  But on the flipside when leaving Iowa and going to Chicago you'd expect the groundball guy to lose less of his production?  That's not to say Triantos was secretly good last year, but more to say that like you said if in 2026 he's rocking a modest 110 wRC+ that's probably enough for me to feel like he can survive in the big leagues?

Overall there's still plenty to like in Triantos' profile.  He's going to play this full year at 23, so despite being around for what seems like forever he's still a positive age relative to league guy.  The contact numbers also create a pretty reasonable floor, I'm seeing only three hitters last year with a K rate under 15% and a wRC+ under 80.  He's also a modest plus with the glove and major plus on the bases.

It's probably a bench profile, but I wouldn't write that in stone.  The raw power is actually decent, so if he can add some lift and pull to his profile without sacrificing contact there's ceiling with the bat.  And even if he can't an Adam Frazier or Amed Rosario type bat that can actually play defense is probably a viable everyday starter, at least at peak.

I'll admit that Triantos just isn't my favorite prospect and probably hasn't been for a bit. He's alright, but I have a bunch of concerns about his batted ball profile. It's probably not entirely logical either, because I know high contact, high swing guys do this. But the year last year was pretty rough, and it kind of confirmed some of my issues I already had, even if it's not entirely fair. I tried to find a way to punt him out of my personal top-10, though ultimately couldn't find an adequate replacement. 

That said, not giving up on him, either. Still think there's an MLB guy in there, and I like that swing change. I hadn't even really noticed it until looking into him for this; took some time looking through X/Twitter and so I am probably more hopeful than I've been. That's a clean swing and I like a little added loft into his game. 

Triantos always struck me as being one of those "change of scenery" types of prospects who might be better off in another system at this stage of his career.  It's not to say that he can't figure it out with the Cubs or that other teams' coaching staffs are better suited to his skill set, but he's a tweener MIF in a system with MIFs who not only are blocking positions ahead of him, but who are also applying pressure from lower levels.  I can see him getting lost in the shuffle, especially if Shaw shows out in his new role and Rojas' exit velocities are not just spring mirages.

Then again, Injuries Happen and Baseball is Weird.  The tools are there for him to be more than a mediocre utilityman, and I'm hopeful he can return to form in short order this season.

He's always reminded me of a Chris Taylor type with significantly less power. Maybe that power will grow as he continues to enter his prime years but I do love the contact rates. I feel like the Cubs still see him as a cheap super utility type in the future. I dont see a starter but a valuable bench piece long term if he hits that outcome. Like you said I love the swing change too. Maybe that will unlock some in game power this year.

3 hours ago, JBears79 said:

He's always reminded me of a Chris Taylor type with significantly less power. Maybe that power will grow as he continues to enter his prime years but I do love the contact rates. I feel like the Cubs still see him as a cheap super utility type in the future. I dont see a starter but a valuable bench piece long term if he hits that outcome. Like you said I love the swing change too. Maybe that will unlock some in game power this year.

Yeah I'm really hoping that a good bench bat with utility is his home. But not one of these "gets 100-150 pity PA's" type, but maybe more like the 250-300 PA type where they're really a "first off the bench" type

No question that last year was a huge disappointment for Triantos.  His numbers were terrible, .684 OPS for Iowa stinks.  Slugging .369 for Iowa, really bad.  

The question is whether future will mirror how bad he was last year.  If he's always soft contact; who rarely pulls or drives for much power; who just isn't strong enough or have bat speed or handle breaking pitches enough to hit, he's bust.  Pretty plausible that he's just never going to hit enough to make it work.  And while he's still young, it's not like he's going to grow a bunch physically.  Probably is what he's going to be physically.  

I'm still guardedly hopeful, myself.  1st, he started off hurt, and got into a big slump.  Bad health often leads to bad results and bad habits.  May not reflects what he can be if healthy.  2nd, guys are always trying to figure things out and adapting.  When he seemed to be hitting OK and had a good 2024, he may not have felt need to adjust.  But failure prompts adjustments, and he may have made some?  Think he may be healthier, a little stronger, adjusted some, maybe more pull-appreciative, maybe more chase-avoidant?  Hoping last year was an injury-triggered anomoly, and he'll look good this year? 

I don't think he's played that much CF yet.  Optimistic that his outfielding will improve?  I hope Shaw ends hitting, and Nico has a good year and extends.  With Nico back and Shaw as good Zobrist, it's hard to see role for Triantos.  But fair chance that either Nice walks or else Shaw gets traded or busts.  That could open up role for Triantos to be 3B/2B/CF utility.  If he's a bad hitter, who wants him.  But if he can emerge as a pretty good hitter, and a decent fielder, there is value in utility antiawful.  We've had Brujan, I don't want that again.  Think there's still a chance that Triantos might break out as a hitter, and become good enough to be a valuable long-term utility player for the Cubs.