Josiah Hartshorn and Owen Ayers were two of the biggest breakout players in the minor leagues in 2026 and now rank as the top two prospects in the Cubs’ system.
After that, there are some solid pieces in Jaxon Wiggins and Kane Kepley, but overall the system is thin, lacking both high‑end upside and meaningful depth. Their draft did add some pitching help in Cade Townsend, who has a big arm but real questions about how many strikes he’ll ultimately throw. I’m 50/50 on whether he stays in the rotation.
That said, the Cubs are firmly in their competitive window and already have a strong core at the big‑league level. They’ll likely use their minor‑league talent as complementary pieces or trade assets. With that as the objective, the system should be more than adequate.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Josiah Hartshorn
- Biggest Mover: Owen Ayers
- Biggest Disappointment: Kevin Alcantara
- Emerging Prospect: Johan Geraldo
You can access the entire list here.
