Chicago Cubs: 4 can’t-miss options at the seventh pick in the draft

With the 2022 Cubs season turning ugly in a hurry, most of the attention has turned toward the trade deadline, minor leagues and, now, the MLB Draft that now is on the horizon. The draft in years past took place in mid-June but now begins on July 17 during the All-Star Break.

This is perhaps the most important draft for the Cubs in years, as the nosedive after the 2021 trade deadline landed the club the seventh overall pick, their highest since 2015, and it presents the Cubs with a crucial opportunity. The top of this year’s draft is undeniably bat-heavy, and it gives Jed Hoyer a chance to find a cornerstone to anchor a flourishing Cubs system.

Cubs: 4 options with the seventh pick in the MLB Draft: Jace Jung

Brother of former Rangers eighth overall pick Josh Jung, Jace Jung has the potential to be the second top half of the draft pick in the family. Jung is a near-consensus top 10 pick and his stock comes exclusively from his bat.

Jung offers everything you could ask for in the batter’s box. He has a career slash line of .328/.468/.647 with an OPS of 1.116 in his three seasons at Texas Tech. Jung sports 60-grade power according to Pipeline but unlike many other prospects with this sort of power, the 21-year-old infielder does not sacrifice contact or strikeout at a high rate as a result.

Jung also has a 60-grade hit tool and struck out in just 16 percent of his college plate appearances. In fact, Jung has walked more than he’s struck out in college, walking in 20 percent of his plate appearances.

The downside with Jung is his defense. He originally started out at third base before he was moved to second base because of his weaker arm. Keith Law speculated on his big board that he may not even stick there and may need to move to left field long-term. Despite this, Jung still offers the potential to be a force in the middle of the lineup, and should certainly be on the Cubs’ radar.

Cubs: 4 options with the seventh pick in the MLB Draft: Cam Collier

Son of former major leaguer Lou Collier, Cam Collier is perhaps the biggest wild card in this entire draft, but the talent is undeniable. Though the consensus is mixed, with Pipeline having him at 12, Keith Law having him all the way up at two, and others having him toward the middle, there are a lot of different ways the draft could shake out. But one thing that’s certain is that the Cubs have done their homework, and have consistently been linked to Collier.

Though Collier was originally slated to be a part of the 2023 draft, Collier graduated high school early, reclassified, and went to Chipola Junior College for spring ball. Collier is one of the youngest players in the draft, and he’ll be just 17 years old on draft day, but that didn’t stop him from tearing up the JuCo competition this spring. He slashed .333/.419/.557 in 52 games at Chipola against competition that was much older than him, providing a snapshot of his offensive potential.

Collier has been praised for his bat speed and bat-to-ball ability and his defense is also seen as a plus. This kid has a good arm and most believe he’ll be able to stick at third base. Collier seems to be one of the prospects the Cubs seem locked in on, and it is easy to see why.

Cubs: 4 options with the seventh pick in the MLB Draft: Termarr Johnson

While this draft is stocked with potentially high-end-level bats, none may be a better pure hitter than Termarr Johnson. Johnson is rumored to be the guy the Cubs want the most, and it’s easy to see why. Johnson has a 70-grade hit tool along with a 60-grade power tool, making him an absolute force at the plate.

Though he plays shortstop now, he’s likely to move to second or third base where he should be a quality defender. If Johnson is even a league-average defender, that paired with his offensive potential should make him potentially a top player in the league.

The question is whether or not he’ll fall to the Cubs. He’s a guy who was seen as a top-five lock at one point, but he won’t be cheap to sign, and is likely to move away from short when there are several other elite shortstops with encouraging offensive profiles at the top of the draft as well. All of this could add up to have him fall into the Cubs range, and if it does, it’ll be nearly impossible to pass up on the type of potential Johnson has to offer.

The Cubs are in the perfect position to land a premium bat that could anchor the emerging farm system for years to come. There will be no shortage of options for the Cubs and these four are just the tip of the iceberg.

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It’s not inconceivable that the Cubs could take a look at players like Zach Neto, Gavin Cross, or Jordan Beck at the seventh spot either, or perhaps one of the top shortstops like Jackson Holliday or Brooks Lee could fall to them. Maybe the Cubs have power-hitting backstop Kevin Parada fall to them and have the opportunity to fill the biggest positional void in the organization. The draft could fall a lot of ways, but there are very few bad options for Jed Hoyer to choose from.