Check in on the Cubs' Top 100 prospects at Iowa
Jake Crouse
@JakeCrouseMLBThis story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. Jake Crouse filled in for this edition while Bastian is on vacation. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH -- When it comes to the Top 100 Prospects list by MLB Pipeline, the Cubs are tops.
The organization is tied for the most Top 100 prospects, according to the latest rankings, with six. However, they¡¯re the only team with six prospects -- yes, all six -- at the Triple-A level.
Why bring this up? September provides an additional two active roster spots on the Major League roster for each club. We don¡¯t know yet who the Cubs will use the extra space to bring up, but many of their most exciting prospects are right on the doorstep.
Unfortunately, No. 31 overall prospect Cade Horton (the Cubs¡¯ No. 2 prospect) is out for the season with a right lat strain after reaching Triple-A earlier this season. But let¡¯s take a look at how Chicago¡¯s other Top 100 prospects have fared at Triple-A Iowa -- even if most have only been there for a few weeks.
INF Matt Shaw (Cubs No. 1; No. 25 overall)
Stats: .254/.389/.441 in 59 at-bats, two doubles, three homers, nine RBIs, 13 strikeouts, 10 walks
Armed with one of the most unique batting motions in the Cubs¡¯ system, Shaw slugged his three homers in the span of a week for the Iowa Cubs this month. The organization¡¯s top prospect also showed off his arm on a spectacular play from shortstop. It¡¯s only been a few games, but they¡¯ve been exciting.
OF Owen Caissie (No. 3; No. 36)
Stats: .272/.370/.463, 24 doubles in 393 at-bats, three triples, 15 homers, 64 RBIs, 128 strikeouts, 59 walks
Caissie has had the longest stay in Iowa of any of this crop, and he¡¯s made an impact. One of the returning pieces in the Yu Darvish deal in 2020, Caissie said at the end of last season that his main focus has been improving his contact, and his K% has dropped from 31.1% in ¡®23 to 28.3% this year. He may be blocked in Chicago for now by productive sluggers Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki and speedy rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong, not to mention Cody Bellinger and Mike Tauchman. But he¡¯s building his case.
C/1B Moises Ballesteros (No. 4; No. 44)
Stats: .257/.319/.433 in 187 at-bats, nine doubles, eight homers, 21 RBIs, 49 strikeouts, 17 walks
It¡¯s been a big season for Ballesteros. He hit for the cycle with the Double-A Smokies on June 15, was promoted to Triple-A three days later then participated in the Futures Game and its skills competition, placing third. However, August has been the toughest month offensively for Ballesteros, who has hit .205 with a .657 OPS in 20 games. Defensively, he¡¯s been showing off great blocking skills with Iowa and he¡¯s racked up eight caught stealings in 33 games (32 starts).
2B/OF James Triantos (No. 5; No. 60)
Stats: .306/.354/.375 in 72 at-bats with three doubles, one triple, 10 RBIs, 10 strikeouts, 6 walks
Triantos went hitless in his first two starts for Iowa, but since then, he has continued to find success with his contact-oriented approach. The base-stealing leader among the Cubs¡¯ top prospects has added eight in his first 19 games at Triple-A after swiping 38 in 89 games for Double-A Tennessee.
OF Kevin Alc¨¢ntara (No. 6; No. 73)
Stats: .254/.356/.381 in 63 at-bats, two doubles, two homers, seven RBIs, 19 strikeouts, nine walks
The 6-foot-6 center fielder made his Triple-A debut on Aug. 6, and the next day he lifted his first homer for Iowa. He has hits in six of his past eight games and has stolen three bases without being caught in 18 games. So far, so good.