Cubs prospect Pedro Ramirez continues to hit new heights in his breakout campaign

What's left to say about Pedro Ramirez at this point? Since joining the Chicago Cubs in 2021, the organization's #8 prospect by MLB Pipeline has always been a promising young player, though not with quite the flashy tools of many of the names that rose around him, like Pete Crow-Armstrong or Matt Shaw. He's succeeded by making lots of contact, taking walks, limiting strikeouts, and playing minor league Gold Glove-caliber defense in the infield. So it's been all the more surprising this year to see a hitter with a career high of eight home runs suddenly completely overhaul his offensive profile and reach heights he's never shown in his career.

Though Ramirez has been turning heads in the organization going back to spring training, this week drove home how insane of a start he's had in Triple-A when he smacked his eighth long ball of the year. A feat that he accomplished in 563 plate appearances in Double-A last year took him a mere 122 in 2026 at the highest level of the minors. Power has never been his forte, as indicated by his future game power value of just 30 at FanGraphs, but you would never guess that if this were your first time watching him play baseball.

The home runs are just one part of the equation, though. Ramirez entered the weekend carrying a stellar slash line of .306/.384/.604, good for a 148 wRC+ and a .988 OPS that ranks near the top of the entire International League. For comparison, the last time he posted a slugging percentage even in the same stratosphere was in the Arizona Complex League in 2022, when he hit .329/.399/.541/154 wRC+. Even then, there's nearly a 100-point difference between that and his .297 isolated power mark right now. Somehow, he's found a way to unlock astronomically more slug since his stint in Knoxville.

A few key things have fueled this breakout. First, he has an average exit velocity of 91.6 MPH, which, if he were in the majors, would land just a hair below Moises Ballesteros and just outside of the top-50 big leaguers, or around 82nd percentile. He pairs that with a solid 43.8 percent hard hit rate. Those numbers don't match up to top-shelf sluggers, but unlike them, he has a stellar 94.4 percent zone contact rate. Inserting real power into Ramirez's already strong bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline makes for a deadly combination that raises his ceiling immensely.

Also, like Ballesteros, Ramirez still doesn't project to be a big 30+ home run hitter despite the power surge, in part because of a lower launch angle. Even if he could offer around 20 to 25 long balls as a switch hitter with that contact ability, though, it all of a sudden fundamentally changes the kind of player he can be. On top of the bat, the defense and ability to move around the infield make him even more valuable, and he's proven to be an effective base stealer after nabbing 28 bags in Double-A. It's rare to see such a polished player at such a young age.

The Cubs are in no rush to bring Pedro Ramirez to the majors

The problem, of course, is that Ramirez is very blocked at the major league level. All of Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and Alex Bregman are on long-term deals, and Shaw is the first and most obvious choice in the event of injuries in the infield. Dividing his time primarily between second and third base, Ramirez's only realistic option right now would be to get period work off the bench, which feels like a waste for a hitter who could still benefit from in-game development during a potential game-changing breakout.

Fortunately, that's not a decision the Cubs want to or have to make right now. Ramirez has only done this through the first month of the Iowa season. The sample is getting larger, but given his track record to this point, it does not hurt to have him keep getting significant playing time in the minors and showing that his new version of himself is indeed who he is now. He has the chance to become a standout in a farm system that needs players to take leaps, even if the likeliest outcome for him is an eventual trade. If the moment arises and injuries necessitate action, though, he's certainly positioning himself well for a call-up.

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