Cubs: Prospects who you might not have heard of–but you will

No. 27 – Alfonso Rivas, First Base/Outfielder

The team liked Alfonso Rivas‘ hitting when they scouted at Arizona, but the Oakland Athletics beat them to the punch. They drafted him in the fourth round of the 2018 Draft. He started at Class-A Advanced, then moved up to Triple-A. He hit .406 in eight regular-season games. Looking to capitalize on that, the Cubs moved Tony Kemp for Rivas to bolster position depth.

Rivas has a left-handed swing to die for. He’s got an excellent feel for the barrel and a disciplined approach that means line drives to all fields. But his power grades as his worst tool. Now, who can that be? The Cubs believe the can help get more air under the ball by altering his swing path.

Rivas plays the corner outfield positions, first base, and the Wildcats deployed him on the mound the first two seasons in college. He is more athletic than other first basemen, with good speed out of the box. This adds to his versatility.