Jason Ross

It could. HS prep arms are by far the riskiest thing you can pick due to injury and development. The Cubs had been taking prep arms like JP Wheat, Nazier Mule, etc at times and none of those guys are really hitting. They have moments but they haven't really figured it all out. College arms are less malleable in that they don't have as much perceived ceiling but they are at lot closer to what they will be. I think with NIL, we're going to see less prep players in general though. Before it was "get paid today, or maybe in three years" where as now it's "I can get paid for three years and then get paid again".

Image courtesy of © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK While the Chicago Cubs' minor-league depth has taken a hit with recent graduations and trades, there are still a handful of interesting prospects to be found outside the top 10 names on our list. You can find Part 1 (prospects #16-20) right here. #15: Will Sanders (Triple-A) Will Sanders may not be the most exciting prospect in the Cubs' system, but sometimes players like him can fly under the radar because the things they do well don't immediately stand out. Our 15th-ranked prospect is not a stuff monster, nor does he induce a ton of swing-and-miss. What he does offer is steady pitchability and a kitchen-sink approach. Baseball America's scouting report has Sanders sitting 92-94 mph (touching 97) on his fastball, but with below-average shape. Sanders also throws a splitter, a slider, and a curveball. The Cubs pitcher of whom Sanders most reminds me is Colin Rea. That's not a bad thing—quite the opposite, really. Rea doesn't overwhelm hitters with stuff, but confuses them by throwing enough pitches that separate themselves to stay one step ahead of his opposition. That's probably the path forward for Sanders: continuing to refine a deep repertoire of good-enough offerings and moving between long relief and the rotation as needed. Those types of arms can be your saving grace in the dog days of a 162-game season. By the end of last season, Cubs fans were clamoring for more Colin Rea. As the team stumbled down the stretch with pitching fatigue and injuries, Rea was ever available, steady and capable. While Sanders may not excite anyone, if he can continue to grow in a similar fashion, he can carve out a long and valuable career. #14: Kaleb Wing (Scotts Valley High School) Kaleb Wing is a different type of pitcher than we've seen the Cubs draft recently: an over-slot, high-upside prep arm. Lanky and projectable, the right-handed pitcher has both stuff and pedigree. He's already hitting 94-96 mph (though sitting 90-92 on average) on the gun as a teenager, and his father pitched in the White Sox organization. Wing saw his draft stock soar in the lead up to the draft—enough to impress the Cubs' brass, who gave him a $1.5 million signing bonus. According to BA, Wing already throws four pitches. It'll be interesting to see how the Cubs continue to develop that arsenal. Wing has yet to make his professional debut, but should see time with Myrtle Beach in 2026. He's probably a year or two away from reaching the upper tier of Cubs prospect lists, but it's clear that the organization likes the pitcher a lot. #13: Angel Cepeda (Myrtle Beach) Angel Cepeda had an uneven season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, but ended the campaign the way you'd hope to see a prospect do so: on fire. Cepeda is another former six-figure international free-agent signing and had a strong year overall, posting a 116 wRC+ in his stop at Low-A, but those numbers bury the lede. Over his final 132 plate appearances, Cepeda posted a blistering 157 wRC+, with a .331 batting average, four home runs, six doubles and two triples. Perhaps the best part of that torrid stretch was that the right-handed hitter saw a significant reduction in strikeouts, dropping from a 33.7% strikeout rate before the warm-up to a 26.6% rate after. One of the biggest green-flag indicators a hitter can wave is to make more contact, and Cepeda was able to do that as a 19-year-old in a very tough hitting environment. Obviously, there are still things to work on, but Cepeda offers a bit of a projectable frame and the kind of bat that could survive at third base. While he's played a lot of shortstop, it's likely that the 6-foot-1 teenager will eventually have to move off the position as he adds weight. He uses a pretty simple setup at the plate, so if his pitch recognition skills continue to get better, he shouldn't have many flaws mechanically. It shouldn't surprise anyone if, at the end of the season, Cepeda jumps into a lot of internal top-five rankings. #12: Cole Mathis (Low-A) Cole Mathis was supposed to be one of the fastest movers from the 2024 Cubs draft class, but sadly, that has not been the case. Mathis had some of the best batted-ball data from his class, and had already shown success in the Cape Cod League with wooden bats, so the hope was that as he transitioned from a two-way player at the College of Charleston, he would take off immediately in pro ball. Instead, 2025 was a year where Mathis struggled with injury (as he came off Tommy John surgery) and to be productive in the lineup. While he did post a 121 wRC+ during his time in Myrtle Beach, his .221 batting average left a lot to be desired. Also, when put in the context that Low-A is usually a level college hitters cruise through (Kane Kepley,. the Cubs' 2025 second-round pick whose bat was not considered his calling card, posted a 180 wRC+ there), Mathis just didn't crush the level like you'd have thought he could. This caused Mathis to get some run during the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a more encouraging .280/.439/.400 line—though that was still somewhat lacking in the power department. The hope with Mathis is that the elbow injury and recovery sapped his power, because the approach was clearly there. Mathis walked 13% of the time at Myrtle Beach and had 15 free passes while in the AFL. If he can show the power that his batted ball data in college suggested he may be able to produce, he can be someone who refills his prospect balloon with helium in the 2026 campaign, If he doesn't show that, however, he'll have to hope his glove improves rapidly at the hot corner. #11: Brandon Birdsell (Triple-A) Brandon Birdsell entered the 2025 season with hopes of making his MLB debut, but those were quickly dashed. Despite being a non-roster invitee to camp, he was placed on the 60-day IL before he ever really got going. He was eventually able to get back on the mound in June, pitching a few times in the Complex league and then moving his way up to Iowa, making his season debut at Triple-A in mid-July. Things seemed back on track for the righty, but was again shutdown after a start on August 7. By the end of the month, the team announced the devastating news: Tommy John surgery was on tap for the Cubs' pitching prospect. Injury is nothing new to the right handed pitcher, as in 2021, a rotator cuff injury dropped his draft status and Birdsell opted to return to Texas Tech for another year. Prior to this, the righty had Tommy John once prior, requiring the surgery as a sophomore in high school. A long injury history is never a great thing and all of these were reasons the talented pitcher was even available to be selected by the Cubs to begin with. For 2026, it's pretty unlikely we'll see him take a mound. While it's unknown whether or not he required a full UCL reconstruction or a a brace (similar to Justin Steele), it's probable that 2026 will be a full-on rehab season for the 25-year-old, with the prevailing hope that he can rebound in 2027. Coming back from a second TJS puts his future in doubt; he was never an overpowering guy, but always got results that were better than you'd expect due to a funky delivery. He was a fun, under-the-radar type, but his future now is pretty murky. If he can bounce back with authority, he won't be so old that it'd be impossible for the organization to find a pathway to the majors for him. But he'll have a lot to prove once healthy. What do you think of this batch of prospects? Which on is your favorite? Do you think someone missed the cut? Let us know in the comment section below! View full article

Everyone knew Imanaga would give up home runs since he came over 2+ years ago; it's what happens when you throw fastballs up. If you miss just a little they go far. This isn't a newsflash. It's like being upset if PCA struck out twice in a ST game; he's going to do that a bunch this season. These are "water is wet" comments. Shota will give up home runs, even more so during ST in the desert dry air. Even if he's closer to 2024 Shota, he's going to give up more HRs than others. It's apart of his game. It's a feature and a bug. His velocity is back. That's all that matters right now. We don't have to act like a player is "awful" because he is having rough ST numbers. He's much healthier, the arm angle is up and the velocity is up. That's good news. A bunch of those HRs will turn into FBs especially in the cold weather.

It's Spring. Kyle Tucker had something like 1 hit and then went bananas in April. We don't need to do this every time an established MLB player has a not great outing in the spring. He averaged 92.7mph. That's really all that mattered.

Its unlikely he will have enough juice to replace Nico next year at the start. He was pretty raw in Tennessee last year, so he's probably going to need to spend 3 months there at minimum to make sure it's not a hot streak (unless he's bananas good). He might see MLB in 2027 but it won't really be as Nico's replacement. Instead that will be Shaw.

Also I'm not a "spring training results matter" guy but Jefferson Rojas is really trying to get me to consider changing that. Hes looked incredibly comfortable this off-season. And seeing that he's made the pre-pitch changes it gives me hope for what he can do in Double-A.

Ben Brown's sinker is now getting classified as such by Savant. It's also sitting at a near identically velo reading as his fastball. That's a pretty heavy sinker. Also, he snuck in a real changeup today! Just one, but hello!

Yeah, like I said, it's possible, but not probable for April. I do suspect they will want some starts in Iowa.

Justin Steele threw a bullpen yesterday and today, was medically cleared by team doctors. Sounds like he's officially on the road to a comeback. And with a month to go, I think it's possible (not probable) he could be back in April.

UCLA is stupid good this year. Jeeze.

Yes. I think Snider at 95mph is almost a guarantee add. That puts him on the inside track for "Brad Keller, 2026" (though not *as* good).

Colin Snider hitting 94.7mph

Jaxon Jelkin is absolutely dealing today for Kentucky. 6IP, 6K, 1BB, 1H so far. Under 70 pitches through 6. Not only do we know the Cubs cannot resist a Jaxon, his low arm slot is Cub-coded.

Most others are right on what they normally do, and a few like Jamo have had below-average velocity. The gun is likely fine. A good reminder that the Cubs are on a second season, and a first full-offseason with Tyler Zombro and a stronger connection to Tread Athletics, and Zombro has been given increased duties and roles within the organization as a whole pitching wise. Also the Cubs haven't only played at Sloan. I think the readings are probably fine.

I love Southisene, but I have to see some more power. He can probably find a career as a 2b with elite approach if he can hit five home runs, but right now, he's yet to hit one professionally and that's a bit of an issue. He's super fun and last year when he and Kepley were going bananas it was a fun top of the lineup. I just hope he can find that power because I want to love him more.

Appreciate it! It feels good for there to be a lot of baseball to talk about again. I'm really excited about the season. Plus I've been able to upgrade my PC with an extra vertical monitor and a few other upgrades, so any excuse to use my new toys is one I can get behind right now.

His Triple-A numbers were very split-heavy and in the direction you'd expect.

I don't see it, at least nothing dramatic I know that his April was crazy good and that people have decided that it was the catalyst for what Kelly was last year, but I think that's a short sighted way of looking at this. He had much improved launch angle and hard hit%, and his mechanics were very different in 2025 than we have seen previously. He didn't significantly outperform his xdata, posting a season long .332 wOBA compared to a .321 xwOBA. He also showed very good approach, his chase, whiff and swing decisions were all excellent. Another important thing; his pull% was up, almost 5% from the year prior but also 8-10% the prior two years to that. His BABIP was basically on par with his last few years, so there wasn't some lucky run of hits, and his BA (.249) and his xBA (.236) are within the ballpark of normal variance. Hitters who pull the ball more often are more likely to outpace xBA and xwOBA as well as xData does not take into account directional hitting and pulled balls have better numbers. I'm expecting a bit of a regression but something more along the lines of a reduction from a 115 wRC+ to a 105-110 wRC+ assuming normal batted ball variance and health. His increase in ISO can be easily traced to more pull and a more lift, and with the approach he has at the plate, as long as those things keep (the mechanical and approach changes) he shouldn't fall far off from where he was last year. As an example, Mike Yazemtrski, Carlos Correa, Gavin Lux, Addison Barger all had wOBA of .321 or .322 and finished between a 102 wRC+ and 107 wRC+. Alex Bohm had a .322 and finished with a 113 wRC+. So I think this is a good place to expect Kelly to land. We can debate semantics on what "significant" means, but for me, that would probably fall well short of that.

Image courtesy of © MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK The Chicago Cubs' farm system is in flux. This is a transition period, as many of their top prospects over the last few seasons (Pete Crow-Armstrong. Matt Shaw, Cade Horton, Cam Smith and Owen Caissie, to rattle off a handful) have either graduated off the list or been traded to other organizations. Transitions aren't necessarily bad, but they come with uncertainty, as we attempt to figure out who the next crop of rising Cubs stars are, and who will begin to replace those who have left the rankings. Our staff voted on the top 20 prospects in the system, so we can pin down where they are before they mak a rapid move toward wherever they're going. Today, we begin with the players who came in 16th through 20th after that process. #20 - Erian Rodriguez (Double-A) Erian Rodriguez enters his age-24 season as a pitcher who has always had just enough intriguing aspects to remain on the burner, but sadly, has yet to bring his talent to a boil for a full season. Last year saw the right-handed pitcher struggle to get out of the starting gates due to injury, and while he would eventually earn a promotion to Double-A Knoxville, there's clearly still work to be done. As relayed by his scouting report on Baseball America, Rodriguez sits 93-96 mph, working exclusively out of the stretch. The velocity is good-enough for success as a low-end starter down the road, but his below-average control will probably be the deciding factor that eventually forces him into the bullpen. With that said, his fastball-slider combination could make him an interesting option against right-handed batters even at the highest level, and he does flash a changeup against lefties that would at least allow him to play up against both sides. With a move to the pen, perhaps a little extra juice can be squeezed from the fastball. #19 - Ty Southisene (Low-A) Ty Southisene had one of the most interesting lines of any player in the Cubs' system last year, posting a 114 wRC+, more walks than strikeouts, and an ISO of .030. The diminutive middle infielder hit no home runs but had an on-base percentage of .388. Because of these oddities, it's hard to fully figure out what the Cubs have in their fourth-round pick from 2024. The approach is a plus; finding players who immediately turn pro and walk 63 times compared to just 43 punchouts is exceedingly rare in today's game. But it's going to be hard to replicate his offensive success at higher levels if he can't flash enough power to start sending even a handful of baseballs over the fence. Southisene was a little old for his level in Myrtle Beach, despite being a draft pick who hadn't attended a university, so the lack of power is probably worth noting, but with some age, time in the weight room and getting out of a difficult hitting environment in South Carolina may be able to help. Defensively, Southisene has gotten strong marks, but is likely to fully transition to second base next year due to a lack of arm strength. His defense and his baserunning give him a strong foundation as a player, and give him multiple ways to add value to a team. If the second baseman can add an iota of power without sacrificing his plate discipline, there's the potential for a valuable big-leaguer here. But if he doesn't add any thump into his game, pitchers will eventually begin to overpower him. #18 - Dominick Reid (Abilene-Christian) Dominick Reid was the Cubs' third-round selection in the 2025 Draft, out of Abilene-Christian University. Previously, Reid had pitched sparingly at Oklahoma State, but had failed to establish himself fully. Transferring to the much smaller school he would be drafted from was a way to showcase what he could offer. The righthander is a bit of a project, but there are some fairly interesting things when we start to look under the hood. The movement profile that Reid shows on his fastball-changeup-curveball combination is in the same ballpark as top-draft-pick Tyler Bremner. There are lots of things that separate the two. While Reid was transferring to Abilene-Christian, Bremner was a standout at UC-Santa Barbara, and while Reid sits in the low 90s, the former Bruin and (thanks to the Angels) second overall pick throws much harder; there's a reason one was drafted 100 picks in front of the other. With that said, if the Cubs can begin to squeeze a little extra velocity out of Reid, all of a sudden, you can squint and see something. The Cubs' third-round pick has yet to make his professional debut, and it's likely that we'll first see him in Myrtle Beach, but keep an eye on the radar gun. If he were to show up this year sitting 94 while touching 96 mph, there's a decent chance the Cubs could have a breakout arm here. #17 - Jostin Florentino (Low-A) The first thing that will jump out when looking at Jostin Florentino is how excellent his numbers were last year. During his time at Myrtle Beach, the right-handed pitcher recorded a sub-2.00 ERA in around 50 innings, with a 26.9% strikeout rate and an 8% walk rate. Numbers like this generally get you ranked higher on these kinds of lists, so if there are some alarm bells going off, they're telling you something true. The reason why he's this low is that the stuff just isn't special. Florentino sits 88-91, according to Baseball America, and tops out at 92 mph, so while the numbers are great, there's a fair bit of skepticism that he will be able to continue this moving forward. A lot of that would change if he could add three or four ticks on his fastball, but that's a pretty tall order for a 20-year-old. If you're thinking that perhaps his shape will save him, according to that same BA scouting report, the shape of his fastball is below average. What does stand out, however, is his slider. Baseball America called it one of the best of its kind in the entirety of the minors, Much like Reid, you hope that there's some projection left. Unlike Reid, Florentino's body doesn't suggest a lot of additional velocity, but never say never, as he added 5 mph between 2024 and 2025. When you have as much success as he had last year, there's hope that he's more than the sum of his parts. #16 - Juan Cabada (Dominican Summer League) Juan Cabada was one of the prized signings of the 2025 international free agency class, and he absolutely did not disappoint during his time with the DSL Cubs last year. In 42 games, the infielder posted a 134 wRC+ and a very encouraging 18.2 K%, while keeping his walk rate in double digits. The youngster did only hit three home runs, but at his ripe age of 17, that can be easily forgiven, considering everything else. It's highly likely that as 2025 turns to 2026, Cabada will spend a good deal of time in the Arizona Complex League. As of writing this, he's yet to even turn 18, so there's little reason to rush his progress. Staying in Arizona, adding some weight to his frame, and continuing to settle in Stateside will be a great first step, but there's a good chance he'll end his season with a look at Myrtle Beach, as well. A good 2026 for Cabada would probably see him expand on his 90th-percentile exit velocity shown in the DSL last year, by adding a bit of lift in his swing and getting to more of his pull-side power. Defensively, reports are less exciting than his offensive profile, but as a second baseman, the impact of his mediocre arm strength would be mitigated. He's got a decent profile for an upside breakout regardless, so keep an eye out for him when he eventually gets the bump to Low-A. What do you think of our first five prospects? Which is your favorite to breakout? Let us know in the comments below! View full article

Miguel Amaya is taking reps at 1b per Bruce Levine. He's played 1b in the minors before.

The good news is that as Matt already outlined, the team is above the LT as is, so spending money shouldn't be a consideration here; they should be able to do just that (going over the 1st line but not the 2nd has a good bit of runway). Also, a RHH, 1b, on the short side of a platoon wouldn't be a very hard find. Between today and then, I'm sure something will come available via trade (cheaply) or DFA if the team wants.

Tyler Austin underwent a knee surgery and will be sidelined for months.