The Cubs have outstanding offensive talent at the top of their system, led by consensus top-10 prospect Matt Shaw. The versatile infielder is joined by Moises Ballesteros, Owen Caissie, and James Triantos, with future ace Cade Horton rounding out the top 5. Overall their system is one of the better ones in baseball, but it’s very top-heavy and lacks depth beyond the top 15.
This article is part of a series focusing on each MLB team’s top 20 prospects for fantasy baseball heading into the 2025 season. Stay tuned for prospect breakdowns for all 30 teams throughout January here at Pitcher List, and head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page to check out the rest of the farm system rankings!
Top Cubs Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Matt Shaw – 2B/SS/3B, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AA): .284 AVG | .379 OBP | .488 SLG | 21 HR | 31 SB | 18.2 K% | 11.8 BB%
Matt Shaw is easily the Cubs’ top prospect and one of the best in baseball. The versatile infielder starred in three seasons at the University of Maryland before becoming the 13th overall pick in 2023. In two seasons since joining the Cubs’ organization, Shaw has ascended four levels and has posted an OPS over .840 at each stop. His 2024 season was a prime example of what Shaw can do as he slashed .284/.379/.488 with 21 homers, 19 doubles, and 31 steals. His 21 home runs in 2024 marked his third straight campaign with at least 20+ home runs dating back to Maryland.
Shaw has no discernable weakness in his game. His plate discipline is excellent. Despite a slight jump in chase rate (31%) in a small Triple-A sample, Shaw rarely expands the zone and should produce above-average on-base percentages. He makes above-average overall and in-zone contact and has a propensity to spray the ball all over the field. His power is unquestionable, but his total HR output may vary. Shaw hits a ton of line drives, and although his EVs (89 mph average, 106 mph 90th percentile) are terrific, it may tamper his home run totals until he finds that perfect loft in his swing.
2) Moises Ballesteros – C, 21 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .289 AVG | .354 OBP | .471 SLG | 19 HR | 1 SB | 18.3 K% | 8.9 BB%
Ballesteros has quickly become one of the best offensive catchers in the minor leagues since his domestic debut in 2022. Ballesteros, who just turned 21 in November, has performed well at every level but took a big step forward this season in split time between Double-A and Triple-A. In 124 games, he posted career highs in batting average (.289), home runs (19), and OPS (.825) while adding 25 extra-base hits. Ballesteros did all that with a sub-20% strikeout rate, although his walk rate dropped to just under 9.0%.
There is no question that Ballesteros is offensively ready to play in the majors, but his defensive skills behind the plate are worrisome. Defense may be the only thing keeping him from regular playing time at the big league level. Ballesteros offers a blend of offensive skills, including advanced pitch recognition, minimal chase, above-average power, and strike zone control. Even if he doesn’t catch right away, Ballesteros is one of the better bats in the Cubs’ system and can immediately become an impactful bat.
3) Owen Caissie – OF, 22 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .278 AVG | .375 OBP | .472 SLG | 19 HR | 11 SB | 28.4 K% | 12.9 BB%
Caissie is a 22-year-old Canadian-born outfielder who flashed impressive power potential since joining the Cubs in 2020. Over the past three seasons, Caissie has methodically climbed through the minors, spending an entire season at each stop. His most recent stop was Triple-A Iowa, where he played 127 games, posting a .278 batting average with 19 home runs. In addition to his power, Caissie has posted an OBP at or above .350 for the duration of his career.
The power upside is tremendous for Caissie. Standing 6’3″, Caissie has long levers that have led to considerable exit velocities throughout his career, including a 106.6 mph 90th percentile and 115.5 mph max EV this season. With the long levers comes strikeout woes, specifically a rate near 30% for his career. Caissie’s power has the potential to generate 30+ homer seasons on the regular, although it may come at the expense of his batting average.
4) James Triantos – SS/OF, 21 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .300 AVG | .346 OBP | .427 SLG | 7 HR | 47 SB | 11.1 K% | 5.6 BB%
Triantos is similar to Shaw because he offers defensive versatility and above-average plate skills but has yet to realize Shaw’s in-game power. Still, the 22-year-old is an exciting athlete and looked healthy after returning from a meniscus injury sustained in 2023. Triantos played 115 games this season, mainly at Double-A, slashing .300/.346/.427 with 23 doubles, six triples, seven homers, and 47 stolen bases.
The name of the game for Triantos is the hit tool, and how he does it is even more impressive. He makes contact at an elite rate, including a near 85% overall rate and over 90% in-zone. The remarkable thing is that he’s hyper-aggressive at the plate, swinging well over 45% of the time, leading to a sub-10% career walk rate. His batting average will be his carrying tool in fantasy and is his primary OBP source. The stolen base output in 2024 is fascinating because he’s highly athletic. Adding that stolen base production on the basepaths will help compensate for his marginal power, which should peak at 10-12 home runs annually.
5) Cade Horton – SP, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): 34.1 IP | 40 K | 28.0 K% | 9.1 BB%
It wasn’t long ago that Horton was the guy in the Cubs’ system. The young fireballer from Oklahoma dramatically burst onto the national scene, leading the Sooners to the 2022 College World Series. His postseason performance netted him a $4M+ bonus as the seventh pick in the MLB Draft that year. Horton was absolutely electric in his pro debut, striking out 117 batters in 88.1 innings across three levels in 2023. Hitters managed just a .544 OPS against him and reached base at a .256 clip, with 7.7% coming via the walk. After a dominant 2023, Horton was limited to 34.1 innings last year following a lat and subscapular strain in his right shoulder.
Horton showed what he’s capable of when healthy. His fastball sits in the mid-90s with outstanding iVB and iHB, a rare dynamic duo. The slider is nasty and misses plenty of bats. It pairs well with the heater, given the velocity differential. His split-change has also flashed as a plus offering, with above-average vertical drop and bat-missing ability. Horton has a true starter’s arsenal with three pitches that grade out plus or better. The key is a healthy 2025 and building back up after a lost season in 2024. Horton’s stock has fallen slightly in Dynasty, so it’s a perfect time to buy low.
6) Kevin Alcántara – OF, 22 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .278 AVG | .353 OBP | .428 SLG | 14 HR | 14 SB | 26.0 K% | 9.9 BB%
2024 Stats (MLB): .100 AVG | .100 OBP | .100 SLG | 0 HR | 0 SB | 10.0 K% | 0.0 BB%
Alcantara is a big-bodied, super-toolsy outfielder the Cubs acquired from the Yankees in 2021 for Anthony Rizzo. Alcantara, who stands 6’6″ and weighs 190 pounds, is tall and slim but has some of the loudest tools in the Cubs’ organization. The 22-year-old hit .278 with 14 home runs and steals in 2024, playing the majority of his games in Double-A. Considering his batted-ball data, the power output is low because Alcantara hits the ball on the ground over 50% of the time.
Despite his elevated batting average, Alcantara is not a contact-oriented hitter. He consistently runs a strikeout rate over 25% and barely reached a 70% overall contact rate this season. When Alcantara does make contact, it’s substantial, as his average EV hovers around 90 mph. As a plus-runner, he should produce 10-15 steals annually and could tick up more if he gets more aggressive. In total, we’re looking at a player with a 30-20 upside if everything comes together, which makes him an exciting prospect.
7) Jefferson Rojas – SS, 19 YO
2024 Stats (A+): .245 AVG | .310 OBP | .336 SLG | 6 HR | 21 SB | 15.2 K% | 8.4 BB%
The Cubs have been very successful in International Free Agency, and their signings have been instrumental in building a foundation for their future. Over the past 20 years, the Cubs have signed Carlos Zambrano, Starlin Castro, Willson Contreras, and Gleyber Torres, to name a few. Jefferson Rojas was one of the top players in their 2022 class, as they inked the then-17-year-old to a $1M bonus. After spending his first season in his native Dominican Republic, Rojas came stateside in 2023. In his first two seasons in the US, Rojas has a .253 average with 41 extra-base hits and 34 steals.
Rojas has a smaller frame, standing 5’10” and about 150 pounds. His best offensive skill is his hit tool, and he’s already showing why. This season at High-A, Rojas posted an overall contact rate of 80.7%. It’s also encouraging that Rojas is getting to in-game power, something you don’t generally see from a player his size. With his ability to hit for average, steal bases, and tap into power, Rojas has intriguing skills that show signs of a promising young player.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know About
8) Cristian Hernandez – SS, 21 YO
2024 Stats (A, A+): .261 AVG | .374 OBP | .381 SLG | 5 HR | 44 SB | 22.2 K% | 14.6 BB%
Hernandez was the prize of the 2021 International Class, signing a $3M bonus to come stateside from the Dominican Republic. The 21-year-old is still quite raw in his skills but has shown flashes of plus speed and is still working to tap into more power. In four minor league seasons, Hernandez has a .252/.347/.357 slash line with 17 homers, 98 steals, and a 12.2% walk rate.
9) Fernando Cruz – SS, 18 YO
2024 Stats (ROOKIE): .215 AVG | .326 OBP | .329 SLG | 2 HR | 11 SB | 27.2 K% | 10.9 BB%
We continue with another International prospect, Fernando Cruz, the $4M teenager signed in this year’s class. We have yet to see much of Cruz, as he played in just 25 games this summer in the DSL. We do know that Cruz is an outstanding athlete and an excellent defender. Offensively, Cruz is power over hit and has plenty of speed to impact the game on the basepaths. I’m looking forward to Cruz’s domestic debut to see what the Cubs have uncovered again.
10) Cole Mathis – 1B, 21 YO
2024 Stats (NCAA): .335 AVG | .472 OBP | .650 SLG | 14 HR | 14 SB | 16.0 K% | 18.1 BB%
Only some things come from the International market, as 2024 second-rounder Cole Mathis can attest. The 21-year-old was a former two-way player at the College of Charleston. Following Tommy John surgery, Mathis was only a hitter in 2024 and posted a .335/.472/.650 slash line with 14 home runs and 17 doubles during his junior year in college. Mathis did not debut following the MLB Draft.
11) Pedro Ramirez – 3B, 20 YO
2024 Stats (A+): .285 AVG | .348 OBP | .382 SLG | 4 HR | 14 SB | 18.1 K% | 8.5 BB%
The Cubs got a massive bargain in the 2021 class, signing Ramirez to a $75K bonus out of Venezuela. The 20-year-old came out swinging in the DSL that season, hitting .359 with 19 extra-base hits in 50 games. Not much has changed over the past three seasons as Ramirez continues to rake. Most recently, he hit .284 with 19 doubles and 14 steals playing at High-A.
12) Jack Neely – RP, 24 YO
2024 Stats: NYY-CHC (AA/AAA): 50.1 IP | 79 K | 37.4 K% | 8.5 BB%
2024 Stats (MLB-CHC): 6 IP | 7 K | 25.0 K% | 7.1 BB%
Neely is one of the newer Cubs prospects after being acquired from the New York Yankees this summer. The 24-year-old is strictly a reliever but has performed very well throughout his career. In 121 minor league appearances, Neely has a 2.77 ERA with 271 strikeouts in 169 innings. His best pitch is his slider, which has produced insane whiff rates of over 50% and led Neely to a 37.4% strikeout rate in 2024.
13) Jaxon Wiggins – SP, 23 YO
2024 Stats (ROOKIE, A, A+): 59.2 IP | 71 K | 28.0 K% | 14.2 BB%
The Cubs took a shot in the dark when they drafted Wiggins in the supplemental round in 2023. The young right-hander was a highly-touted prep arm but fizzled out in college at the University of Arkansas before undergoing Tommy John. Wiggins has a high-powered arsenal headlined by an upper-90s fastball but has struggled to command it. In his lone season in the minors, Wiggins had a 4.37 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.
14) Jonathon Long – 1B, 22 YO
2024 Stats (A+, AA): .283 AVG | .391 OBP | .461 SLG | 17 HR | 2 SB | 20.7 K% | 8.9 BB%
2024 Stats (AFL): .338 AVG | .425 OBP | .662 SLG | 6 HR | 1 SB | 23.0 K% | 12.6 BB%
Long was a ninth-round pick in 2023 out of Long Beach State, where he ranks second all-time in home runs. He had a breakout season in 2024, slashing .283/.391/.461 with 17 home runs across two levels. The Cubs were so impressed by his play that he was assigned to the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .338 with six home runs for Mesa. Long could get a shot in the big leagues by the end of 2025.
15) Michael Arias – RP, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA, AAA): 60.1 IP | 72 K | 25.2 K% | 17.5 BB%
Arias, a 23-year-old fireballer, has battled command issues throughout his career but has still managed to post a near-28% strikeout rate in four seasons. His arsenal consists of an upper-90s sinking fastball, a plus changeup, and an improving slider. Although Arias had a 20% walk rate in Triple-A in 2024, the Cubs believe in his stuff, and Arias could be a factor in the MLB bullpen by season’s end.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players.
Derniche Valdez – 18 YO – Valdez earned a $2.8M bonus in 2023 but has a 37% strikeout rate in 166 career at-bats.
Brett Bateman – 22 YO – Bateman has excellent plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills. He has a 15.4% career walk rate with an overall contact rate of 84% in 2024, not to mention 44 total steals in his first two seasons.
Ronny Cruz – 18 YO – The Dominican-born shortstop was a third-round pick in 2024 with outstanding speed and power, but he needs to shorten his stroke at the plate.
Brandon Birdsell – 24 YO – Birdsell, a 6’2″ right-hander, has an intriguing three-pitch mix with bat-missing capabilities and outstanding command.
Pablo Aliendo – 23 YO – Aliendo is an offensive-minded catcher with intriguing power, but with a contact rate of around 63%, he could use some refining at the dish.