Beneath is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Chicago Cubs. Scouting reviews have been compiled with info offered by trade sources in addition to our personal observations. That is the fourth yr we’re delineating between two anticipated reduction roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “place” column under: MIRP for multi-inning reduction pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning reduction pitchers. The ETAs listed usually correspond to the yr a participant must be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Handbook changes are made the place they appear acceptable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Worth) means may be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview may be discovered right here.
The entire ranked prospects under additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the positioning gives that includes sortable scouting info for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan knowledge from varied sources) than this text and integrates each workforce’s record so readers can examine prospects throughout farm techniques. It may be discovered right here.
Different Prospects of Be aware
Grouped by kind and listed so as of desire inside every class.
Younger Cubs
Cristian Hernandez, SS
Alexis Hernandez, SS
Geuri Lubo, RF
Angel Cepeda, SS
Joan Delgado, UTIL
This entire group remains to be comparatively younger and has significant maturation forward of them, bodily and in any other case. Cristian Hernandez, now 20, was a $3 million beginner signee whose hit instrument bottomed out fairly early in professional ball. He’s had considerably of a rebound from a strikeout standpoint, however he nonetheless doesn’t appear to be he’s going to hit. Alexis Hernandez, 19, began placing out at a scary price in 2023, a pattern that has continued in 2024. He’s nonetheless so skinny and younger that he might add the mandatory power to deal with the bat extra capably. Lubo is a transformed infielder with an enormous arm who’s now a power-hitting proper discipline prospect. Cepeda and Delgado are versatile complex-level children with above-average bat velocity and questionable really feel for contact.
Tweeners
Ezequiel Pagan, OF
Pedro Ramirez, 3B
Jose Escobar, 2B
Pagan, 23, is an undersized outfielder who performs with a ton of effort. Ramirez is a stocky, undersized 2B/3B who’s off to a white sizzling begin in 2024. Escobar is a flexible lefty-hitting teenager on the Arizona advanced. All three of those guys are good baseball gamers with out the large time bodily capability typical of a significant leaguer.
Laborious-Throwing Relievers
Cam Sanders, RHP
Riley Thompson, RHP
Cayne Ueckert, RHP
Ben Leeper, RHP
Sanders sits 94-96 and has an excellent slider, however his fastball performs down and he walks almost a batter per inning. Thompson has had a little bit of a Ok% uptick in 2024 as he’s moved to the bullpen. He’s a kitchen sink lengthy reliever now and nonetheless will get a number of swing-and-miss at his breaking balls, although he additionally throws a number of non-competitive pitches. Ueckert appears to be within the midst of a little bit of a velo swoon. He appeared like a mid-90s/slider reliever at peak, however proper now he’s sitting extra 92. His arm motion nonetheless appears to be like nice, although. Leeper can also be a mid-90s/slider man who’s a little bit over a yr faraway from his third Tommy John.
Certainly one of These Issues…
Erian Rodriguez, RHP
Freilyn Silverio, RHP
Jake Reindl, RHP
Rodriguez, 22, and Silverio, 19, have prototypical 6-foot-3 starter builds however wrestle with mechanical consistency. Silverio additionally has a dandy curveball. For you low launch top goobers, the low-slot Reindl is lacking a number of bats at Double-A proper now. He sits 92 and has very constant command, however his slider’s uncooked high quality was a little bit wanting the principle part of the record.
System Overview
This is among the perfect techniques in all of baseball, with essentially the most High 100 prospects (9) of any workforce within the sport. About half of these came visiting by way of commerce, some throughout the workforce’s tear down of the World Sequence-winning core (PCA from the Mets for Javier Báez, Kevin Alcántara from the Yankees for Anthony Rizzo), whereas the others have come from each the draft and the worldwide beginner expertise pool. The Cubs’ hit price on a few of these trades wasn’t excessive (as an illustration, the Yu Darvish commerce has yielded Owen Caissie, theoretically, however Yeison Santana and Reginald Preciado haven’t panned out) and but right here we’re, with the large league workforce in official competition for his or her division whereas the org additionally boasts what is likely to be the very best farm system in baseball.
The Cubs have been nice at growing velocity for the final handful of years, however they’re much less adept at growing different features of pitching (it’s not like they’ve a changeup meeting line the way in which the Dodgers do) and, anecdotally, the fellows who’ve arm power features usually don’t maintain them or keep wholesome. Cubs prospect lists have had a number of year-to-year turnover as guys much like the “Laborious-Throwing Relievers” group of the Honorable Point out part have slid out of the principle part of the record. Seven Cubs massive league pitchers are on the IL as of record publication.
Lots of these guys are slated to reach both this yr or subsequent. This method is due for decline throughout the subsequent 18 months for good causes, particularly trades and graduations. Who is likely to be almost certainly to be dealt in a deadline deal this yr? We point out in Alcántara’s blurb that the presence of PCA and Cody Bellinger plus his dwindling choices and late-bloomer physique might push him out to a workforce extra comfy letting him develop on the massive league stage. James Triantos is blocked by Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ for the subsequent three years, and likewise feels extra prone to be dealt than others. Until the Pirates (who really feel like they’re yet another yr away from this) determine to take part, the Cubs are a lot, a lot better geared up so as to add on the deadline with out mortgaging all the farm than any of their division mates, and maybe extra so than anybody within the Nationwide League moreover the Dodgers (their system has comparable depth) or Padres (they’re wily and discover a method to make large offers, depth be damned).