4 prospects the Cubs must protect from the Rule 5 draft at all costs

4 Cubs prospects to protect from the Rule 5 draft: #2 – Danis Correa

At just 23 years old, Danis Correa is already at the highest level of the minors and currently owns a 4.50 ERA after just nine appearances. Prior to his promotion to Triple-A, Correa recorded a 2.93 ERA in 40 innings of work at Tennessee – building on an impressive body of work in 2021, as well.

If you haven’t noticed, at the big league level, the Cubs are above .500 since mid-July. The biggest reason for the team’s downfall this season (aside from the endless injuries in the rotation) is simply that the bullpen has squandered too many late leads.

That is where guys like Correa have a door wide open for them waiting to succeed and become key pieces in the future. All he needs is a little more experience and to make that adjustment to Triple-A, and he’ll be back to his elite self, banging on the door to Wrigley in no time.

Considering how many guys come out of college, get drafted around age 21-22 and start in the lower levels to begin their professional careers, being just 23 at Triple-A is incredibly impressive. Clearly, in time with adjustments made to the level of talent he is seeing now, there is no reason to believe Correa won’t keep dominating as he has to this point.