Here's where Cubs' top prospects will open the 2025 season
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With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:
- Matt Shaw (MLB No. 18), INF -- Chicago (MLB)
- Cade Horton (MLB No. 50), RHP -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Owen Caissie (MLB No. 52), OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Moises Ballesteros (MLB No. 67), C/1B -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- James Triantos (MLB No. 71), 2B/OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Kevin Alc¨˘ntara (MLB No. 88), OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Jefferson Rojas (MLB No. 95), SS/2B -- South Bend (High-A) -- injured list (hamstring)
- Brandon Birdsell, RHP -- Iowa (Triple-A) -- injured list (lat strain)
- Fernando Cruz, SS -- Extended spring training
- Jaxon Wiggins, RHP -- South Bend (High-A)
- Cristian Hernandez, SS/2B -- South Bend (High-A)
- Juan Tomas, SS -- Dominican Republic complex
- Jonathon Long, 1B/OF/3B -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Ronny Cruz, SS -- Extended spring training
- Cole Mathis, 1B/3B -- Myrtle Beach (Single-A)
- Jack Neely, RHP -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Angel Cepeda, INF -- Myrtle Beach (Single-A)
- Pedro Ramirez, 3B/2B -- Knoxville (Double-A)
- Juan Cabada, 3B/SS -- Dominican Republic complex
- Wilfri De La Cruz, SS -- Dominican Republic complex
- Brett Bateman, OF -- Knoxville (Double-A) -- injured list (hamate)
- Ben Cowles, INF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Brody McCullough, RHP -- Injured (forearm)
- Yahil Melendez, SS/3B -- Extended spring training
- Christian Franklin, OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
- Drew Gray, LHP -- Injured (shoulder)
- Pablo Aliendo, C -- Knoxville (Double-A)
- Ty Southisene, SS -- Extended spring training
- Gage Workman, 3B/SS -- Chicago (MLB)
- Eli Lovich, OF -- Extended spring training
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Team to watch
Triple-A Iowa leads all Minor League clubs with five Top 100 Prospects: Horton, Caissie, Ballesteros, Triantos and Alc¨˘ntara. First baseman Long slashed .283/.391/.461 with 17 homers while reaching Double-A in his first full pro season, then finished second in the Arizona Fall League with six blasts in 18 games. Righty reliever Neely has a virtually unhittable slider.
Iowa Cubs (Triple-A)
Knoxville Smokies (Double-A)
South Bend Cubs (High-A)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Single-A)
Players we could see in MLB in 2025
Horton, Caissie, Ballesteros, Triantos and Alc¨˘ntara all should push for jobs in the Majors this summer, though the Cubs don't have many obvious openings unless injuries arise. Neely, who like Alc¨˘ntara made a brief big league debut last year, will be in the bullpen mix.
New faces
The four players who received the highest non-first-round bonuses from the Cubs in the 2024 Draft -- corner infielder Mathis (second round), shortstops Ronny Cruz (third) and Southisene (fourth), outfielder Lovich (11th) -- will make their pro debuts this spring, but only Mathis is currently on an active roster. All three infielders who landed seven-figure bonuses from Chicago on the 2025 international market -- Tomas, Cabada, De La Cruz -- will break into pro ball in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in June.
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On the shelf
Rojas (hamstring) and Bateman (right hamate surgery) are close to being ready to join High-A South Bend and Double-A Knoxville, respectively. Right-hander Birdsell, the Cubs' 2024 Minor League pitcher of the year, is on the 60-day injured list at Triple-A Iowa with a lat strain. Righty McCullough (forearm) and left-hander Gray (shoulder) are on the 60-day injured list.