Cubs Minors: A who’s-who of the team’s prospects heading into the season

After a year-plus hiatus and a complete organizational overhaul that saw Major League Baseball seize control of operations, Minor League Baseball returns this week and, with it, we get our first look at where some of the top Cubs prospects will open the 2021 season.

Now, we already saw Chicago make a controversial decision with a young player when the team broke camp in Arizona, optioning Nico Hoerner to the alternate site to open the year. It was expected that he’d then be with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs when the team opened its season on May 4, but as we all know, he’s back with the big league club and proving he belongs in every way imaginable.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t guys worth checking in on as the MiLB season gets underway. Let’s take a look at where some of the team’s key prospects are going to begin the 2021 campaign.

Cubs have some marquee names headed to extended spring training

At the team’s extended spring training site in Arizona, we’ll see some of the organization’s most highly thought of names. Top prospects Brailyn Marquez and Brennen Davis headline that list, along with Reginald Preciado, who came over in the Yu Darvish trade.

Both Marquez and Davis are soon expected to join Double-A Tennessee – which boasts catching prospect Miguel Amaya, as well. The Smokies certainly won’t hurt for impact talent this season and, with the Cubs eyeing a rebuild or re-tooling (whatever you want to call it), it’s a critical year not only from the players’ standpoint, but for the organization, as a whole.