MLB · 2 hours ago

11 Early Standouts in the Chicago Cubs’ Farm System in 2026

SportsGrid Contributor Just Baseball

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Mason McGwire, RHP
Despite missing all of 2025 with an injury, Mason McGwire is off to a scorching hot start in 2026. Through his first 12 innings, he has a 1.50 ERA and 18 strikeouts, working both as a starter and out of the bullpen.

His best pitch is his fastball, which plays well up in the zone and sits in the mid-90s. He looks to be much more consistent and balanced in his mechanics, and it’s been huge for him early.

McGwire has been one of the few bright spots on the pitching side of the system, and he will look to ride this early momentum the rest of the way.

The post Early Standouts in the Cubs’ Farm System appeared first on Just Baseball.
Standouts in the Chicago Cubs’ Farm System
Several players across the Chicago Cubs‘ farm system are off to strong starts in 2026, with a mix of potential breakout seasons on the horizon and continued development from some of the organization’s top prospects.

While it is still early and samples are still relatively small, some players on the farm have seemingly begun to take meaningful steps forward in their games. Early production and underlying data from these players have been encouraging, suggesting the growth goes beyond a small sample.

From power surges at the upper levels to advanced approaches emerging among younger hitters, the next wave of Cubs prospects is beginning to make a name for itself. With the season just past the one-month mark for Triple-A and the lower levels not far behind, here are some Cubs prospects who have stood out to begin their seasons.

All stats updated before play on April 29.
Pedro Ramírez, INF
Pedro Ramírez spent his 2025 season in Double-A Knoxville, where he put up solid numbers. Over 563 plate appearances, he slashed .280/.346/.386 with 73 runs batted in and 28 stolen bases. He profiled as a solid contact guy who limited strikeouts and swing-and-miss, while flashing an above-average glove at both second and third base.

He began his 2026 season in Triple-A Iowa, where he appears to have elevated his game to a whole new level. Alongside his already elite contact ability, he has added legitimate power to his swing.

Through 26 games this year, he has already clubbed seven home runs (one shy of his career high) and has a .602 slugging percentage. His quality of contact backs these numbers, as he’s running a 91.5 mph average exit velocity and 45.6% hard-hit rate.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this power surge is that he has nearly identical contact numbers to previous seasons. His zone-contact rate sits at 94.0% while his swinging strike rate is at 6.4% — both elite marks.

Overall, he is slashing .311/.383/.602 with a 147 wRC+, an 18.1% strikeout rate, and a 10.3% walk rate. He truly looks like the most complete player in the system with his combination of bat-to-ball, power, speed, and defense. If this performance is sustained, it’s not a stretch to say he could both find himself on top 100 prospect lists as well as see major league time this season.
Kevin Alcántara, OF
It has been a very interesting start to the year for Kevin Alcántara for many different reasons. On one hand, he’s hit nine home runs already and has a .873 OPS despite being a notoriously slow starter each year. On the other, he is striking out and whiffing more than he ever has.

His nine home runs and 22.6% barrel rate both rank in the top four among Triple-A hitters with at least 75 plate appearances. To go with that, Alcántara is sporting a 47.2% hard-hit rate while walking 10.6% of the time. He is also pulling the ball in the air over 5% more than he did last season, which has become a growing point of emphasis within the Cubs organization.

However, power has never been the question. It has always been the strikeouts, and so far this season, it appears that it is still an issue for him. Both his whiff and strikeout rates are up over 9% from last season, sitting at 39.9% and 37.5%, respectively. These issues have largely stemmed from his inability to recognize breaking pitches, and that has carried over into this season.

While Alcántara has still struggled with chasing them out of the zone, he has at least started to punish them when they’re hung. Still, it will be a tall task for him to find consistent success with his current profile, though he is just 23 years old and continuing to develop as a player.
BJ Murray, 1B/3B
A player whose performance has flown under the radar early this season is B.J. Murray. Through 23 games, he’s batting .354 with four long balls and 13 runs batted in.

Murray has one of the more advanced plate approaches in the system. His chase rate is an impressive 19.5%, and he rarely swings and misses. He pairs that skill with above-average quality of contact and bat speed.

He hasn’t slugged at an extreme rate this season despite impressive exit velocities, as he is hitting the ball on the ground more than you’d like. Still, Murray is a mature hitter with a solid glove at the corner infield positions, who could make a case for a late-season call-up in 2026.
Andy Garriola, OF
It has been hard to ignore what Andy Garriola has done in the Knoxville lineup so far in 2026. He has hit his way into more regular at-bats than was probably planned for him entering the season.

Among players with at least 40 plate appearances in Double-A this season, he has the highest wRC+ at 235 and the fourth-highest batting average at .400. Garriola has driven in 15 runs and homered four times in just 11 games so far.

He is coming off of a tough 2025 season, and while it is far-fetched to say he will sustain his current pace, it is encouraging to see this performance early. Samples are still small, but he is one to keep an eye on as they continue to grow.
Owen Ayers, C
After a broken hand ended his 2025 season, Owen Ayers was sent to the Arizona Fall League for some extra at-bats, and he really made a name for himself. Over 89 plate appearances, he slashed .379/.539/.591 with 22 walks to just 10 strikeouts, earning him AFL Breakout Player of the Year honors. He has carried this momentum into the 2026 regular season.

To start the season, he was in High-A South Bend, but six home runs, an .860 slugging percentage, and 226 wRC+ earned him a promotion to Double-A after just 11 games. As a whole, he is slashing .344/.462/.734 with seven long balls and a 199 wRC+ across both levels.

He has spent his defensive time behind the plate, where he’s caught seven runners stealing in 20 attempts this year. His arm is one of the best in the minors, though he didn’t catch full-time until his senior season at Marshall, so the blocking and framing skills still need work.

Ayers is a switch-hitter who has historically posted low swing-and-miss numbers, which is a great complement to his plus bat speed and power. At 24 years old, he is a bit older than most guys at his level, but with his early performance, he may make his way up to Iowa by the end of the season.
Grant Kipp, RHP
After an up-and-down season in 2025, Grant Kipp is off to a hot start in 2026. Across his first four games and 18.1 innings, he has a 2.45 ERA with 21 strikeouts to just five walks.

His stuff has always been intriguing, with both a slider and curveball that sit around 3,000 rpm, and a low-to-mid-90s fastball. The difference so far this season is execution. His strikeout rate is up 6.9%, his walk rate is down 5.0%, and his swinging strike rate is up 4.3%. Opponents are batting just .175 against him and have really struggled to square up his pitches.

He has worked both as a starter and as a long reliever this season, and with injuries to both the Triple-A and major league roster, he may be in line for a promotion sooner rather than later.
Cole Mathis, 1B
Along with Owen Ayers, Cole Mathis also earned an early promotion this season, though he began in Single-A. Over 14 games in Myrtle Beach, he posted a 200 wRC+ and blasted seven home runs, which led to him being lifted to High-A.

It is just his second season of pro-ball, and he looks to have made some big adjustments. The power has begun to show through, as his slug is up over .200 points from its 2025 mark so far this year. He is still finding his footing in South Bend, though his plate discipline has remained consistent.

One glaring spot for improvement so far is the high strikeout rates, though underlying numbers suggest they may come back down to earth in the near future. On the season, his contact rate is at 81.1%, while his swinging strike rate is 7.1%. For a guy with the power he has, he limits whiffs and is selective, though maybe too much so at times.
Kane Kepley, OF
After getting drafted last season, Kane Kepley debuted in Single-A, where he slashed .299/.481/.433, reached base 63 times, and 16 bases in 28 games. He is the type of player that makes things happen, no matter what. Even with a bit of a slow start with the bat this season, he’s done exactly that.

Despite a .214 batting average so far, Kepley has managed a .463 on-base percentage, drawing 25 walks in 17 games. He has added 13 stolen bases without being caught and has looked every bit of an elite defender in the outfield.

There isn’t a lot of power in his 5-foot 8-inch frame, though he remains an enticing offensive prospect with his advanced plate discipline, bat-to-ball, and ability on the bases.

He has a 132 wRC+ and .785 OPS this season, and I anticipate that those numbers will rise along with his batting average as the season progresses, considering how much he puts the ball in play.
Brooks Caple, RHP
Brooks Caple looks like a completely different pitcher this season — in a good way. He’s made four starts, going at least five innings and allowing one run or fewer in all but one. Caple has pitched to a 2.89 ERA over that stretch and is flashing legit swing-and-miss stuff that has not been there in the past.

His fastball has reached 98 mph with good carry, and his secondaries tunnel extremely well off of it. This has led to his strikeout rate nearly doubling from last season. Add to that that he has cut his walk rate in half and allowed just 12 hits in 18.1 innings. Less traffic, more strikeouts.

Caple looks like an early breakout candidate and may find himself a top-30 prospect in the organization if his early success continues.
Josiah Hartshorn, 1B/RF
The Cubs drafted Josiah Hartshorn out of high school in the 6th round last year. He made his professional debut this season in Single-A Myrtle Beach, where he has showcased exciting power potential and a very mature approach for his age.

In his first taste of professional baseball this season, he is slashing .284/.443/.473 with seven extra base hits and more walks than strikeouts. His swinging strike rate is sitting at 6.7%, which is an elite mark.

A big contributor to his low swing-and-miss numbers is his discipline at the plate. Despite being just 19 years old, Hartshorn has an advanced knowledge of the zone and rarely chases pitches outside of it.

So far, he has three home runs, with the most recent leaving his bat at 111.5 mph. He’s one of the more intriguing power guys in the system and still has room to grow at just 19 years old.
Mason McGwire, RHP
Despite missing all of 2025 with an injury, Mason McGwire is off to a scorching hot start in 2026. Through his first 12 innings, he has a 1.50 ERA and 18 strikeouts, working both as a starter and out of the bullpen.

His best pitch is his fastball, which plays well up in the zone and sits in the mid-90s. He looks to be much more consistent and balanced in his mechanics, and it’s been huge for him early.

McGwire has been one of the few bright spots on the pitching side of the system, and he will look to ride this early momentum the rest of the way.

The post Early Standouts in the Cubs’ Farm System appeared first on Just Baseball.
Standouts in the Chicago Cubs’ Farm System
Several players across the Chicago Cubs‘ farm system are off to strong starts in 2026, with a mix of potential breakout seasons on the horizon and continued development from some of the organization’s top prospects.

While it is still early and samples are still relatively small, some players on the farm have seemingly begun to take meaningful steps forward in their games. Early production and underlying data from these players have been encouraging, suggesting the growth goes beyond a small sample.

From power surges at the upper levels to advanced approaches emerging among younger hitters, the next wave of Cubs prospects is beginning to make a name for itself. With the season just past the one-month mark for Triple-A and the lower levels not far behind, here are some Cubs prospects who have stood out to begin their seasons.

All stats updated before play on April 29.

11 Early Standouts in the Chicago Cubs’ Farm System in 2026

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