Number 22
Josh Rivera SS
Age: 22 Years Old
Level: N/A
Joined the organization via: 3rd Round Pick in the 2023 MLB Draft
2023 Stats: (College) .348/.447/.617 19 HR, 10 2B, 18 SB, 46/35 BB/K
Rivera is one of my favorite picks from the 2023 draft haul that the Cubs got. With the signing bonus pool being the way that it is, college seniors like Rivera are often used as a means of saving money because the player lacks a lot of leverage in the negotiations. Rivera was the exception as he actually signed for over his slot value which should go to show how much the Cubs coveted him as a player.
The numbers jump off the page. He walked more than he struck out, he stole bases, he hit home runs, he played the most important position on the diamond and he did it all in the best division in college baseball on a team that came within a game of the College World Series. His bat should move very quickly through the system and you could see him in Wrigley by the middle of the 2024 season if things break right.