The Cubs have more outfield options than most clubs.

At the big league level, veterans Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are signed through 2026, Cody Bellinger has player options for each of the next two seasons and Pete Crow-Amstrong has been one of the game¡¯s most dynamic rookies since the All-Star break. At Triple-A Iowa, Chicago has two Top 100 prospects who play the outfield (Owen Caissie, Kevin Alc¨¢ntara) and a third who seems likely to wind up there (James Triantos).

With less than a week remaining in a season which saw them fall short of the postseason, the Cubs have decided to get a quick glimpse of the future. They promoted Alc¨¢ntara on Wednesday and immediately inserted him into their starting lineup in right field, batting him ninth against the Phillies.

Alc¨¢ntara originally signed with the Yankees for $1 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, so he¡¯s in the midst of his seventh year as a pro and has never topped 15 homers or steals in a single season. But he¡¯s still just 22 years and two months old, annually has been much younger than most of the pitchers he faces and still has the potential for four solid-or-better tools. He¡¯s stunningly graceful and athletic for a player who stands 6-foot-6.

Ranked No. 69 on the Top 100, Alc¨¢ntara came to Chicago during its summer 2021 restructuring of the club, arriving with right-hander Alexander Vizcaino in exchange for three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo. With his bat speed, projectable strength and leverage, Alc¨¢ntara offers 30-homer upside. He has pulled pitches more often than ever in 2024, but he also has hit more grounders than ever and will need to learn to lift balls more consistently to fully tap into his well-above-average raw power.

Because his size results in a naturally long right-handed swing, Alc¨¢ntara is a streaky hitter. His game comes with a lot of chase (32 percent this year) and swing-and-miss (31 percent), though his overall strikeout rate (26 percent) will be palatable if he realizes his power potential. He slashed .278/.353/.428 between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024 and is a career .281/.354/.449 hitter in the Minors.

Alc¨¢ntara can contribute in many ways beyond his bat. He has solid speed, and while he¡¯s not a prolific basestealer, he picks his spots and has succeeded in 79.1 percent of his pro attempts. He¡¯s a legitimate center fielder who tracks down balls from gap to gap with gliding strides and has prototypical arm strength for a right fielder.

All that said, it may be difficult for Alc¨¢ntara to claim a long-term spot in the Cubs¡¯ outfield. Barring an injury to a veteran, he may not have a path to regular big league at-bats in 2025. He also can¡¯t match Crow-Armstrong¡¯s defensive prowess, Caissie¡¯s power or Triantos¡¯ pure hitting ability.

Alc¨¢ntara still has youth and ceiling on his side, and would be attractive to other clubs if he can¡¯t find a full-time job with Chicago. With their postseason drought now at four years, the Cubs will be looking to make moves this offseason. How Alc¨¢ntara performs in the final five days of this season will show them -- as well as potential trade partners -- what he might become.