Baseball America, the venerated publication that has been ranking minor league prospects since the eighties, came out with their picks for the Top Ten Cubs prospects on Monday.
While the actual rankings and scouting reports are behind a paywall (sub. req.), I can share the actual list if not the scouting reports.
- Matt Shaw 3B
- Cade Horton RHP
- Moises Ballesteros C
- Owen Caissie OF
- Kevin Alcántara OF
- Cam Smith 3B
- James Triantos 2B
- Jefferson Rojas SS
- Brandon Birdsell RHP
- Jaxon Wiggins RHP
I’ve noted the position where BA listed them. Shaw, for example, played shortstop and second base last season, but he played slightly more than 50 percent of his starts at third base in 2024.
This is as deep a minor league system as the Cubs have had since 2015. Arguably, it’s even deeper than 2015, although it may lack the players with star potential like Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber had that year. (Although only two of those four actually became stars.) But while this class of prospects may not have a top 20 prospect, you can make the case that eight of them belong in the Top 100. While Baseball America hasn’t announced their Top 100 prospects for 2025, the top eight on this list all made MLB Pipeline’s Top 100.
Matt Shaw is clearly the best of this class and he provides a tantalizing blend of getting on base, hitting for power and above-average speed. He clearly has 20/20 potential in the major leagues and he can get on base with a hit or a walk. He also has shown a real ability to hit to all fields. I don’t think anyone would be shocked if Shaw opened the season in the majors if Nico Hoerner starts the year on the injured list. He’s probably ready for the majors or close enough to fill in.
Cam Smith had perhaps the best debut of any 2024 draft pick. Smith has great power to all fields and Baseball America has noted that he’s made great strides in his pitch selection and contact skills since his freshman year at Florida State. He still has to work on his defense, but the bat’s potential is high.
Someone who has worked on his defense is James Triantos. Triantos was a mess at third base in 2022 and he wasn’t much better when they moved him to second base in 2023. But in his second season at second, Triantos showed some massive improvements at second base to the point where he can now be considered above-average at the position. Triantos’ contact-oriented approach at the plate and the way he sprays the ball to all fields likely means that there isn’t a lot of power in his future, but he does hit the ball hard enough that some of those line drives could carry over major league fences. He’s also a terrific baserunner with 47 steals in 56 attempts last season.
Those of you who follow the nightly Minor League Wrap should be familiar with the emergence of Brandon Birdsell this past season. Birdsell is the kind of control over stuff guy that Cubs fans loved for so many years in Kyle Hendricks, but Birdsell throws harder than Hendricks (93 to 95 miles per hour, and can go a touch higher) and features a slider much more than a changeup. But he’s the kind of pitcher who doesn’t walk many batters and induces weak contact. He could be a feature at the back end of the Cubs rotation as early as this season.
These are just some of the names to watch this upcoming season in the minor leagues. Even more exciting, other than Rojas and Wiggins, the other eight players all have a chance to see major league action in 2025.
