Owen Caissie surging past other Cubs prospects with ridiculous hot streak

Owen Caissie has been among the Cubs' top prospects for quite some time, and for good reason.

He's got prodigious power — he's launched 52 home runs and counting since the start of the 2023 MiLB season — and a seriously impressive array of tools, including a powerful arm from right field.

Given the Cubs' sensational outfield this season, there's been trade chatter surrounding Caissie for a while, though the team would certainly be wise to hold onto him if it can, especially given the ridiculous run he's been on over the last few weeks.

Owen Caissie re-emerging as top hitting prospect in sensational June

Beyond Caissie's 1.220 OPS, which leads all International League players with at least 50 at-bats this month, his ISO is up to .340, which ranks second on the Iowa Cubs behind catcher Carlos Pérez (who is also having a great month).

Among International League players with at least 40 at-bats, his four home runs rank tied for ninth and his .736 slugging percentage sits sixth. If it weren't for a 30.6% strikeout rate (which is still better than his season-long figure of 32.5%), Caissie would be top three on the Iowa Cubs in just about every notable offensive metric.

This hot stretch in June is coming at a crucial time for Caissie, as the Cubs (45-28) hold a commanding 6.5 game lead in the NL Central and will be among the most aggressive and obvious buyers at the MLB trade deadline.

With Kyle Tucker playing out his final year of arbitration, right field could open up for Caissie over the offseason, especially if the team wants to keep Seiya Suzuki, who is having a career season, as the full-time designated hitter.

Obviously, the ideal solution is that the front office will re-sign Tucker to a long-term contract extension, though that would keep Caissie blocked at the big league level, at least until Ian Happ's contract runs out in left field at the conclusion of the 2026 season. Though, again, fans and the front office would likely prefer to see Happ extended before his departure comes to fruition.

Thus, Caissie's hot streak could position him as a valuable trade chip in July, especially for teams in need of immediate help in the outfield (Royals, Padres, Mariners, etc.).

Regardless of his fate, it's encouraging to see Caissie settling in at Triple-A with a huge month, one that noticeably features a reduction in his strikeout and whiffing problems without any sacrifice to his prolific pop. If this continues, and the Cubs elect to hang onto him through the deadline, expect to see Caissie in Chicago before long, whether or not a spot opens up in the outfield.