Cubs' latest 40-man roster move gives fading prospect one final shot at relevance

Tuesday was the deadline for the Chicago Cubs to protect eligible prospects from the Rule 5 draft, and the Cubs followed suit by adding left-handed pitcher Riley Martin to their 40-man roster, along with James Triantos and Pedro Ramirez.

Given the lack of lefties the Cubs have at the Major League level, it made sense for them to protect Martin, who posted an ERA of 2.69 in 47 appearances with the Iowa Cubs in 2025. Depending on the moves the Cubs make this offseason, Martin could be a sneaky candidate to break camp with the Major League team in 2026.

There was a point when James Triantos was one of the three best position players in the Cubs' farm system, but the rise of players such as Owen Caissie, Kevin Alcantara, and Jefferson Rojas pushed Triantos further down the team's prospect rankings in recent years.

Since being elevated to the Triple-A level, the shine of Triantos' offensive profile has also diminished. In 444 plate appearances with the I-Cubs last season, Triantos slashed .258/.315/.369 with a wRC+ of 76. Triantos never had the power profile of the top names in the Cubs' system, and if his bat-to-ball approach isn't working, he doesn't offer much value to the Cubs moving forward.

Ramirez has posted a wRC+ over 100 at each level of the Cubs' system, and could be a trade chip for Jed Hoyer and Co. this offseason. While there was a chance that the Cubs could have snuck him through the Rule 5 draft, his bat-to-ball skills may have teams willing to take a gamble this offseason. Still, it wouldn't be out of the question to think Ramirez could be a trade candidate this winter.

Cubs' 40-man roster decision leaves once promising pitching prospect unprotected from Rule 5 draft.

Brandon Birdsell entered last offseason as one of the Cubs' top pitching prospects, but was left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft this winter.

Birdsell finished the 2024 season with the impression that he could make his Major League debut at some point during the 2025 season. However, an injury-riddled season resulted in the Cubs' No. 9 prospect only making 4 starts with the Iowa Cubs, posting an ERA of 3.38.

In August, Birdsell underwent season-ending elbow surgery. The Cubs have yet to provide the details of the surgery or the timeline. In theory, an interested team could still select Birdsell with the intent of stashing him on the IL while he recovers.

With Shota Imanaga also accepting the Cubs' qualifying offer, the team's 40-man roster now stands at 32.