Chicago Cubs Top Prospects: Midseason Top 30 Chicago Cubs Prospects (#20-11)

The Chicago Cubs have a minor league system that features some top-level talent and is also filled with players that project to be major league contributors.

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Number 19

DJ Herz LHP

Age: 22 Years Old

Level: AA Tennessee Smokies

Joined the organization via: 8th Round Pick in 2019 MLB Draft

2023 Stats: 49.0 IP 4.59 ERA 63/32 K/BB

Since DJ Herz joined the system back in 2019 he’s started every game he’s played in. He’s carrying a career 3.92 ERA across four levels at the minors with 13.1 K/9 and he’s only getting better as he goes. When he came into the organization, he primarily used a fastball and curveball but he’s implemented a changeup which MLB Pipeline declares is “his best pitch” and because he has struggled throwing the curveball for strikes he’s started to use a slider instead.

Based on the organizational process it stands to reason that Herz will continue to be progressed with starting in mind. If he finishes the season in Double-A this year and begins next year in Triple-A he could be in Wrigley by the end of the 2024 season, and it wouldn’t shock me at all to see that slider become the sweeper that the pitching coaches seem to love and he will have a three-pitch mix that can get major league hitters out while decreasing the walks which have been a problem thus far in his career.