Cubs Have 7 Prospects in MLB Pipeline Top 100, Plus Updated Top 30 Org Rankings
It’s no secret that the Cubs have one of the top minor league systems right now, but a little confirmation is always nice. MLB Pipeline’s latest prospect rankings have the Cubs with seven players in the top 100, tied with the Mariners for most in the league. Pipeline also updated its top-30 list for the organization with several new names from international free agency, trades, and good old-fashioned matriculation.
Here are the Cubs’ top seven prospects with their overall rankings.
19 – Matt Shaw, 3B
51 – Cade Horton, RHP
53 – Owen Caissie, OF
68 – Moises Ballesteros, C/1B
72 – James Triantos, 2B/OF
89 – Kevin Alcántara, OF
96 – Jefferson Rojas, 2B/SS
Barring another setback, Shaw could still break camp as the starting third baseman. He’s just begun getting game reps due to a mild oblique injury and his status for the opening series in Japan is still up in the air. There’s still a chance for him to play, but the Cubs will prioritize his long-term health over a pair of very early games.
As the Cubs’ top pitching prospect, Horton flashes a mid-to-upper 90’s fastball with a plus-plus slider that has a 50% swing-and-miss rate. The seventh overall pick in 2022, Horton was progressing quickly prior to a shoulder injury that shut him down for most of last season. He will be brought along carefully and will need to settle in more at Triple-A Iowa before the Cubs think about a promotion to Chicago. An injury or three could hasten that timeline, but he’s not yet on the 40-man roster and wouldn’t be added just for fill-in duty.
Caissie was recently shut down in Mesa due to a groin strain and subsequently cut from the spring training roster. He’ll start the year at Triple-A Iowa and provides significant outifled depth for the Cubs, but he could be traded if they were to sign Kyle Tucker to an extension. We’ll see about that.
The situation for Ballesteros is complicated by the notion that he may not stick behind the plate. That means he probably serves as a first baseman or DH, which the Cubs have no real need for right now at the big league level. However, we all know things change. At just 20 years old, Ballesteros flashed a power bat with 19 home runs and a .289/.354/.471 slash line over 124 games between Tennesee (56) and Iowa (68). He was also named the Cubs’ MiLB Player of the Year in 2024.
Triantos has elite bat-to-ball skills that led to him being promoted to Triple-A in August 2024. Over 94 plate appearances at Iowa, he slashed .302/.351/.384 with five doubles and 12 RBI. The knock on him is his 40-grade raw power and 30-grade game power. While his speed is a plus, it’s unlikely Triantos will make his way to Wrigley as long as Nico Hoerner is there. Of course, there’s been a lot of chatter about the Cubs possibly trading Hoerner, which would make a path to the Big Leagues much more possible for Triantos.
In Alcántara, the Cubs have a solid outfield prospect who’s very likely to get some time with the big team yet again this season. He made his MLB debut in 2024 and literally came out swinging, jumping on the first pitch he saw for a flyout. Being on the 40-man roster simplifies things, and he’s proven about all he can in the minors. While the Cubs probably want him getting everyday reps at Iowa to start out, he should be in Chicago one way or ther other this summer.
At just 19 years old, Rojas is the least developed on this list. The Cubs signed him in the winter of 2022 as an international free agent and he made his stateside debut in the Arizona Complex League the following year. Rojas played a full season for the High-A South Bend Cubs in 2024, showcasing an exceptional swing for his age. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back at South Bend until he forces a promotion to Double-A Knoxville.
As a reminder, these rankings are based as much on potential as anything else. For example, Gage Workman came into the organization as the Cubs’ No. 27 prospect following his acquisition via the Rule 5 Draft, but he’s down at 29 in this latest update even though he is a strong possibility to break camp with the Cubs.
