New ESPN mock draft has the Cubs doing something they haven't done since 2020

The general expectation seems to be that the Chicago Cubs will once again draft a college talent, a path that's led to solid results in recent years with Cam Smith out of Florida State, Matt Shaw out of the University of Maryland and Cade Horton from the University of Oklahoma.

With just days until the 2025 MLB Draft in Atlanta, a new mock draft from ESPN has Jed Hoyer changing lanes and doing something he hasn't done since the COVID-shortened draft in 2020: selecting a high school player.

Will Cubs go with a high school or college player in the first round of this year's MLB Draft? We'll soon have our answer.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel has the Cubs selecting third baseman Josh Hammond out of Wesleyan Christian High School in North Carolina. MLB Pipeline pegs Hammond as the #26 prospect in this year's draft and Baseball America has him ranked #38.

Here's what McDaniel says about Hammond:

The Cubs lean toward exit velos/athleticism when it comes to high schoolers and Hammond is one of the better examples in the class. This is right about the middle of his range, along with Xavier Neyens, a similar, left-handed version of Hammond who is also connected to the Cubs. Arkansas teammates Wehiwa Aloy and Gage Wood are also mentioned here along with Tyler Bremner.

Hammond has pitched and played on the left side of the infield, but it seems likely the Cubs view him strictly as a position prospect. He's got a great arm and projects as more of a third baseman than a shortstop, with plus power and impressive pop. Still, the Cubs' last high school first-round pick will no doubt have folks watching anxiously come Sunday night.

Ed Howard, the Cubs' first-round selection with the #16 overall pick in 2020, has been nothing short of a disaster since starting his professional career, with a horrific hip injury derailing him early on. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he's out of the organization in the semi-near future given his complete lack of production offensively.

That's not to say all high school players are busts. But, often, they take more time to climb through the organizational ranks and make an impact at the big-league level. The Cubs have showcased an ability to fast-track college picks and given the depth of this year's talent at that level, I'd be surprised if they went the high school route.

Again, this is a guy who could be drafted as a position player or a pitcher (he's hit 99 MPH on the gun as a high schooler). But he's shown a preference to hit and his tools have drawn wide interest throughout the league leading up to this year's draft.