The Cubs have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. President Jed Hoyer has done a great job of rebuilding the Cubs farm system and acquired many talented prospects. The Cubs currently boast an MLB-best seven top 100 prospects. Many of their prospects are going to be major league-ready shortly. Some may even play themselves into the Majors this season. Here are just a few to keep an eye on.
5. James Triantos, 2B/SS – (MLB #73)
Traintos profile is very similar to current Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner. While Nico’s defense will likely be better, Triantos has a bit more “juice”. His .302 batting average in Triple-A last season was a slight improvement from his .300 mark in Double-A the year prior. However, his power numbers dropped quite a bit. He hopes to regain his power stroke after having a full year of Triple-A ball under his belt. If he can do that while maintaining his high OBP, the Cubs may have a clone of their gold glove-winning second baseman on their hands. His baserunning is also superb, swiping 45 bags last season across two levels. Triantos will see additional development in Triple-A, this season working to gain his power back. But he is likely one injury away from getting a cup of coffee in the majors this season.
4. Moises Ballesteros, Catcher – (MLB #69)
“Mo Baller” is a very interesting prospect for the Cubs. On one hand, the 5’8 catcher rakes for the catcher position. He cruised through the minor leagues and nearly cracked the major league roster last year on the strength of his bat alone. On the other hand, the defense and game management required to be a major league catcher still elude him. The 21-year-old will continue to make strides in that area. But when he does he will be a very nice addition to the Cubs everyday lineup. With the Cub’s major league squad in need of consistent production at catcher, his path to the majors is easy to see, just prove he can play serviceable defense and he might uproot Miguel Amaya on the big league roster.
3. Cade Horton, RHP – (MLB #52)
Peaking as a borderline top-20 prospect last season, Cade Horton’s 2024 season was halted after a muscular injury to his right shoulder ended his season. It may have also prevented a cup of coffee in 2024 with the big league club. While the Cubs were rightfully cautious with his shoulder injury, Horton looks to hit the ground running in 2025.
Before the injury, Horton was dominating for the Double-A Knoxville Smokies with a minuscule 1.10 ERA and a measly .92 WHIP. Horton’s repertoire includes a Fastball, Changeup, Curve, and his claim to fame the slider. His slider already projects as a plus pitch at the major league level, but further development to his fastball will need to happen to reach his ace potential. Horton will have his eyes set on Chicago in 2025 and could be called up if his development continues to blossom this season.
2. Owen Cassie, OF – (MLB #54)
Owen Cassie (or ONKC as he is referred to on Cubs’ Twitter) is another talented young outfielder in the Cubs organization. The 6’3 former Padres 2nd round pick came over to the Cubs in the Yu Darvish trade (remember that). While the trade was lamented by Cubs fans everywhere, including myself, the Cubs may have managed a win-win scenario. While Yu Darvish has been good, and even great at times, for the Padres, Cassie could provide a similar impact if all goes well.
Cassie grades out as a good defender with a great arm and superb power profile. The 22-year-old mashed 19 homers in Triple-A Iowa last season and his raw power and pop turn heads. While he will continue to develop his plate discipline, having more than double the number of strikeouts as compared to walks, Cassie won’t have the pressure to produce in a crowded Chicago outfield. Cassie will likely stay the majority of the season in Triple-A to continue his development but could be moved up if an injury occurs. He is already on the Cubs 40-man roster, so his path to the Majors isn’t hard to see.
1. Matt Shaw, 3B – (MLB #19)
I talked recently about Matt Shaw at length, but he is certainly the Cubs prospect who should make the biggest impact this season. The former 13th overall pick from Maryland may find himself as the Cub’s primary third baseman, a position they have failed to address since the days of Kris Bryant.
The former Terrapin grew up a Red Sox fan and specifically modeled his game off of fellow infielder Dustin Pedroia. This is evidenced by his high OBP (.395) and SLG (.534) in Triple-A last season. His raw power has always been his calling card and his ability to draw walks is a good sign of his future projection at the plate. The question for the Cubs regards his range at arm strength at third base. But with other gold glovers in the infield, combined with his reps at third in the minors, it’s safe to assume his defense will be good enough for manager Craig Counsell to stick with the young slugger at the hot corner.
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