Cubs exec forced to defend first-rounder after early health concerns

The biggest reason why Ethan Conrad fell to the Chicago Cubs at No. 17 in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft is the fact that a shoulder injury limited him to just 21 games with Wake Forest this past collegiate season. That same injury is what led to many prospect evaluators having mixed opinions on the Cubs' latest first-round pick, with the belief that injury adds a layer of risk when it comes to projecting the outfielder at the Major League level.

Cubs vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz met with reporters on Sunday night and discussed how the team did not shy away from Conrad's situation.

“You don’t want to close the door on a player based on his health if the forecast is that he’s going to recover,” Kantrovitz said. “And in the case of Ethan, we expect a full recovery. I’m not sure if it’s a trend, but it’s definitely something that we’re not going to dismiss players we think are going to get back to full strength.”

Cubs exec responds to growing concern over first-rounder’s status

The injury occurred while Conrad was playing the outfield, trying to make a diving catch. Conrad suffered a torn labrum on the play and underwent surgery to repair his shoulder in April. Conrad and the Cubs discussed his shoulder injury during the scouting combine, and that seemingly removed any doubt from the team that he would make a full recovery. However, there is some belief that Conrad could shift to a corner outfield spot as he develops in professional baseball.

While the Cubs do expect Conrad to make a full recovery, don't expect him to begin his professional career this season. In other words, there won't be a meteoric rise for Conrad that the previous Cubs' first-round pick, Cam Smith, had.

The expectation is that Conrad will not make his organizational debut for the Cubs this season. The plan is to allow ample time for Conrad's shoulder to recover, and he should be cleared for baseball activity at the start of spring training next season. Given the Cubs' current outfield situation, they can afford to be cautious with Conrad's development initially.

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