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Number 8
Jefferson Rojas SS
Age: 18
2023 Level(s): Rookie Ball, Low-A Myrtle Beach
Joined the organization via: IFA Signing in 2022
2023 Stats: 310 PA, .266/.342/.400, 7 HR, 22 XBH, 13/17 SB 31 RBI 48 R
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The Cubs have a teenage shortstop that they signed through International Free Agency that has the potential to be a top prospect in all of baseball. His name isn’t Starlin Castro or Gleyber Torres or Cristian Hernandez.
Jefferson Rojas has done everything the Cubs could possibly have asked of him as an 18-year-old last season. He played at multiple levels, including full-season ball, and showed that he could hit for average, draw some walks, and hit for power while playing solid up-the-middle defense and utilizing his speed on the basepaths.
That’s about all you can ask for.
This year Rojas should likely spend at least part of the season back at Low-A Myrtle Beach but getting playing time for him, Cristian Hernandez, Pedro Ramirez, and Alexis Hernandez have to at least play a role in the Cubs' decisions as to where to send some of these top prospects and the only one that looked like he could handle High-A South Bend would be Rojas.
If we see him spend a portion of the season at High-A then seeing him at Wrigley Field prior to his 20th birthday is at least a possibility, even if it’s a slight one.