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

1. Josiah Hartshorn (OF/1B)

• Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF with upside
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Advanced approach and emerging power create fast‑rising fantasy appeal despite limited speed.

Josiah Hartshorn was the Cubs’ sixth‑round pick in 2025, but his $2 million bonus made it clear the organization valued him far more like an early second‑round talent. He rewarded that confidence immediately, opening his 2026 season in Low‑A with a .273/.424/.460 line over 39 games, walking more than he struck out. The Cubs quickly bumped him to High‑A, where he played equally well, showing a mature approach and strong contact skills.  He finished the season in Double-A with three games.

For a teenager, Hartshorn is showing encouraging exit velocities—an average of 90 mph with a max of 109. Much of his home‑run output comes from an uphill swing path, but because he’s not showing much swing‑and‑miss, the Cubs will likely keep him on that trajectory. He projects as a 20–25 home run bat, with room for more as he fills out physically. He’s chipped in a few steals, but he’s not particularly athletic, and stolen bases are unlikely to be a meaningful part of his long‑term profile.

Hartshorn is quickly becoming a name to know in fantasy circles. His approach should allow him to move quickly, and the power foundation points to plus home‑run production. Even without speed, he has the ceiling of at least a No. 4 fantasy outfielder—and potentially more if the power continues to grow.

2. Owen Ayers (C)

• Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 OF
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Late‑bloomer catcher with lift‑driven power and real everyday upside emerging.

Owen Ayers was drafted by the Cubs in the 19th round in 2024 as a senior sign, and his first two pro seasons were fairly quiet. But 2026 has been a different story. He added more lift to his swing, and the ball started jumping off his bat. He blew through High‑ and Double‑A, finishing the season in Triple‑A. Overall, he posted a .289/.403/.526 slash line with 25 home runs and 13 stolen bases. His exit velocity is average — 88.7 mph — but he pairs it with 15 degrees of leverage in his swing.

Defensively, he’s a strong catcher with a plus arm, and if the bat continues trending upward, he has a real shot not only to carve out a career as a backup but to become a No. 1 catcher.

Fantasy managers quickly caught on to Ayers, and he’s rostered in most leagues. He should see the Major Leagues sometime in 2027, with a chance to post a 15‑10 type season with a .250 batting average and an OBP 80–90 points higher. For someone who came out of nowhere, that’s a huge win for fantasy managers.

3. Jaxon Wiggins (RHP)

• Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP with upside
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Elbow concerns cloud otherwise solid stuff and mid‑rotation upside.

It was a tough season for Jaxon Wiggins. He opened the year on the IL with elbow inflammation — never a good sign, particularly for someone with TJS on his résumé. He didn’t return until mid‑June, and once back, he just never looked sharp.

The stuff itself has looked fine, just not crisp. His fastball is averaging 95 mph (T97) with 17 inches of IVB and 2300 RPM — a legitimately strong foundation. But he’s struggling to land his secondaries for strikes, particularly the curveball, which is his best pitch. In 42.2 innings, he’s walked 7.2 per nine.

Fantasy managers should be concerned; elbow inflammation is never encouraging, especially for a pitcher with prior TJS. When healthy, the ceiling still looks like a mid‑rotation starter.

4. Kane Kepley (OF)

• Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF with power risk
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: High‑OBP speedster with leadoff upside but limited impact and power risk.

Kane Kepley made a legitimate case for having the best professional debut of any 2025 draftee, slashing .299/.481/.433 with two home runs and 16 steals in just 28 games. The Cubs pushed him aggressively to High‑A to open 2026, and while he struggled early, he settled in as the summer progressed. Over 595 plate appearances, he hit 10 home runs, stole 70 bases, and walked far more than he struck out (20% walk rate, 15% strikeout rate). A .279 BABIP dragged down his batting average, leaving him at .243.

His biggest challenge remains the same: he simply doesn’t hit the ball very hard, and that lack of impact drove the low BABIP. His walk rate likely isn’t sustainable, but he did continue to walk at a strong clip in Double‑A after his promotion.

There’s considerable MLB fourth‑outfielder risk with Kepley. But the upside is a leadoff hitter who posts a high OBP with potentially 40 stolen bases. It might come with only five home runs, which presents roster‑management challenges, but the combination of speed and on‑base skills is very alluring.

5. Ethan Conrad (OF)

• Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Toolsy first‑rounder whose injury‑marred season clouds true upside.

Ethan Conrad was the Cubs’ first‑round pick in 2025 (No. 17 overall). He missed the first three months of the 2026 season with a back injury, following the shoulder surgery that cost him much of his draft year at Wake Forest. It’s hard to know exactly what we have with Conrad, as he didn’t play particularly well once he returned. Was he rusty, still not fully healed, or simply not as advanced as hoped? Then, in late August, he hit the IL again. There was no word on whether it was a recurrence of his back or shoulder issues or something entirely new.

In 36 games, he hit .254 with five home runs and just one stolen‑base attempt. He’s an above‑average runner, so the lack of attempts suggests the Cubs were being cautious. His strikeout rate was league average, but he showed some aggressiveness at the plate.

While Conrad’s season was not ideal, given the injury context, it’s not a reason to downgrade him. There’s still plenty to like — he has good size (6‑foot‑3), solid exit velocity, a leveraged swing that points to future power, and above‑average speed. He also made excellent contact in college. Fantasy managers should sit tight and see what 2027 brings.

6. James Triantos (2B)

• Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: High‑contact, low‑power infielder with speed and modest fantasy upside.

James Triantos spent most of the 2026 season in Triple‑A, though he did get a brief look in Chicago, going 1 for 8. In Triple‑A, he essentially repeated the profile he’s shown for two straight years: elite contact skills (12% strikeout rate), plus speed, minimal power, and an approach driven by sheer bat‑to‑ball ability. Because he puts the bat on everything, he swings at everything — his chase rate sat in the lower quartile of the league.

Triantos is close to earning a longer Major League opportunity, but I don’t see an impact performer. He fits the mold of a classic, light‑hitting middle infielder/utility player — a profile that’s increasingly common across the minors (especially in Cleveland’s system, smile). In the right organization, he could be a .280 hitter with 20‑plus steals and a handful of home runs. For fantasy purposes, his upside sits squarely in the middle‑infield tier.

7. Cade Townsend (RHP, #23)

• Highest Level: DNP ETA: 2027-28 Fantasy Ceiling: Closer or Top 40 SP with upside if he can find better control
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Big stuff and nasty splitter, but control issues create starter‑versus‑reliever uncertainty.

Cade Townsend was the Cubs’ first‑round pick in the 2026 draft (No. 23 overall) after two seasons at Ole Miss, where he served as the Friday‑night starter. He features a three‑pitch mix, led by a fastball that sits 95 mph (touching 97) and plays well at the top of the zone thanks to its spin and IVB. His splitter is his best secondary — a true doozy — generating high whiff rates against both righties and lefties. The slider is his best breaker and grades out as average. While the stuff is excellent, he’s never thrown many strikes. The delivery has considerable effort, which ties directly into his inability to repeat it and his elevated walk rates.

There’s wide variance in Townsend’s outcome. If he finds better control, he has the arsenal to pitch near the top of a rotation. But he’s undersized at 6‑foot‑1, and given the delivery, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cubs eventually move him to the bullpen — potentially getting him to Chicago as soon as 2027.

8. Brooks Caple (RHP)

• Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2027-28 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Fastball‑slider righty with starter upside if changeup develops.

Brooks Caple was the Cubs’ ninth‑round pick in 2024 and delivered excellent results in 2026. Across 107.2 innings between High‑ and Double‑A, he posted a 3.09 ERA, struck out a batter per inning, and walked just 2.6 per nine.

The arsenal is solid. His fastball averages 94–95 mph (touching 96), and thanks to his 6‑foot‑6 frame and the extension he gets down the mound, the pitch plays up and is a handful for hitters. His best secondary pitch is the slider, which misses a ton of bats. The changeup is currently below average, with platoon splits showing 150 points more SLG, though lefties still don’t hit him hard. Right‑handed hitters have essentially no chance, batting just .166 against him.

Caple’s floor is a bullpen role, and with his fastball‑slider combination, he could be a real weapon there — hitters, especially righties, simply don’t pick him up. However, the Cubs will continue to develop him as a starter in hopes he finds a more reliable changeup. If he does, the ceiling is a mid‑rotation starter, maybe more, given his control and the difficulty hitters have picking up his stuff.

9. Caden Sorrell (OF, #62)

• Highest Level: Low ETA: 2029 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60/70 OF with upside if he hits enough
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Big raw power but contact issues limit realistic fantasy ceiling.

Caden Sorrell was the Cubs’ second‑round pick in the 2026 draft (No. 62 overall). His calling card is plus raw power, but there’s swing‑and‑miss in his game and a tendency to get overly aggressive, expanding the zone and putting added pressure on his contact skills. There are some similarities to Owen Caissie (now with the Marlins), and the jury is still out on whether Caissie will make enough contact to be more than a low‑average, power‑only bat. I think Sorrell fits the same mold.

In his first 95 plate appearances, the draft report played out – he hit five home runs and struck out 32 times.

In general, I’m not a fan of this archetype — big‑power, high‑strikeout hitters are plentiful in fantasy leagues. If Sorrell develops true 40‑plus home run power, that’s a different conversation, but while the swing is highly leveraged, I’m not convinced the underlying exit velocities support a 70‑grade power projection. As such, I’m putting a No. 4/5 outfielder ceiling on him, with obvious batting‑average risk.

10. Myles Bailey (1B, #75)

• Highest Level: DNP ETA: 2028-29 Fantasy Ceiling: Corner Infielder with upside if he hits enough
• Last Updated: 10/09/2026
• Tools Summary: Massive 80‑grade power with extreme strikeout risk and volatility.

Myles Bailey was the Cubs’ compensatory pick for losing Kyle Tucker to free agency, selected 75th overall in the 2026 Draft. Bailey’s carrying tool is true 80‑grade power, driven by a combination of elite exit velocity and an exaggerated launch angle. He played only 26 games before ankle surgery ended his draft year, but he still launched 13 home runs — pacing for a 30‑homer season that would have led all Division I hitters. Because of his swing mechanics, there will be plenty of swing‑and‑miss, but he also walks a ton, giving hope he can grow into a three‑true‑outcome profile.

Bailey is a risky Dynasty add, but 80‑grade power doesn’t come around often, and the possibility of a three‑true‑outcome slugger is enticing. He has legitimate 40‑plus home run upside, and even if it comes with a .230 average, there should be enough fantasy juice to justify a FYPD selection. That said, there’s real danger he strikes out a third of the time — or more — which would push the profile into the red.

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