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The Chicago Cubs have a new breakout prospect to track heading into 2026, and it’s a teenager the organization invested in heavily on the international market.
MLB Pipeline highlighted Cubs infielder Juan Cabada – ranked No. 14 in the system – as Chicago’s “one prospect set to break out in 2026,” pointing to his advanced offensive feel and hit-first profile.
Cabada signed with the Cubs as part of the 2025 international class and received a $1.5 million bonus, instantly putting him on the radar as one of the franchise’s more notable recent additions.
Key details:
- Player: Juan Cabada (left-handed hitter)
- Cubs prospect rank: No. 14
- Signed: January 2025 (international free agent)
- Bonus: $1.5 million
- Why he’s getting buzz: advanced hit tool indicators, line-drive approach
MLB Pipeline Tabs Cubs Infielder Juan Cabada as a 2026 Breakout Prospect
Pipeline’s write-up focused on what tends to get young hitters moving fast: bat-to-ball skill and swing decisions.
Cabada, a left-handed-swinging infielder, was praised for quick wrists that support a quality, line-drive approach, traits that can play even before the body fully matures.
There’s also a “projection” element here. Cabada isn’t a huge frame, and Pipeline noted there are questions about his ultimate power ceiling. But the idea is straightforward: if he consistently identifies the right pitches and keeps squaring the ball up, the rest can come as he physically develops.
Why Scouts Like Cabada’s Bat (And Why the Cubs Paid Up)
The Cubs didn’t treat Cabada like a typical low-profile international flier.
On signing day in January 2025, MLB.com noted Cabada brought significant bat speed and the ability to spray contact across the field, exactly the kind of foundation teams want in a 16–17-year-old prospect.
That report also described him as an above-average runner with “legitimate five-tool talent” potential, language you don’t see casually attached to most teenagers.
This is the “pressure” part of the breakout label: once you’re the $1.5 million signee and the “breakout pick,” the bar becomes visible. 2026 is the year the industry expects the early signs – better contact quality, more consistent impact, and a clearer defensive home – to show up.
Where He Fits: Middle Infield Today, But a Long-Term Position Question
Pipeline also raised the key organizational question: shortstop long term.
Most evaluators don’t think Cabada will remain at shortstop, and Pipeline specifically pointed to the Cubs’ system depth at the position as part of the reason.
That doesn’t have to be a negative. If the bat is real, moving around the dirt can actually speed up a prospect’s path, especially in an organization that’s consistently accumulated shortstops and let the best players sort themselves into roles.
For Cubs fans, the clean way to follow this in 2026 is simple: when Cabada plays, where does he play, and does the offensive approach hold as the level of competition rises?
What Happens Next in 2026
A breakout doesn’t have to mean “Top 100 tomorrow.” For a player at Cabada’s stage, it often means clearer indicators: stronger at-bats, more balls driven with authority, and the club getting confident enough to challenge him with tougher assignments.
MLB Pipeline already laid down the thesis: hit tool first, with the rest coming if he continues picking the right pitches to drive.
If those signs show up early in 2026, Cabada becomes one of those names who jumps from “interesting” to “actively tracked,” especially in a Cubs farm system that has leaned hard into high-upside infield talent in recent years.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
