Projecting a Chicago Cubs 26-man roster with top prospects

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With the 2023 season in full swing, the thought came to me what a 26-man roster full of Chicago Cubs top prospects might look like. With all the revamping of the farm system in the last two years, it's no surprise that the organization's future is in good hands. The Cubs have a lot to look forward to, from hitters to starting pitchers to the bullpen. Let's look at what a full 26-man roster would look like regarding prospects only.

The lineup:

1. Pete Crow-Armstrong CF
2. Brennen Davis RF
3. Kevin Alcantara LF
4. Matt Mervis 1B
5. Jake Slaughter 3B
6. Yonathan Perlaza DH
7. Cristian Hernandez SS
8. Pedro Ramirez 2B
9. Miguel Amaya C

Bench: Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, Darius Hill, Haydn McGeary

First, I'm opting for youngster Pedro Ramirez over Chase Strumpf at 2B because, in my opinion, he has a brighter future/ceiling. Last season, at just 19 years old, he slashed .329/.399/.541 in 145 ABs in Rookie Ball, and I'm excited to see what he brings to the table for Myrtle Beach in 2023. Jake Slaughter looks like a candidate to get called up before long, as he already has seven RBIs in just three games at Triple-A Iowa to begin the year.

Elsewhere, Haydn McGeary's video game-like numbers in Division II ball earned him a signing by the Chicago Cubs in the draft last season. In 2022, at the collegiate level, McGeary slashed an absurd .481/.579/1.061 with 35 HRs and 79 RBIs in 214 at-bats. He, too, will start in MB with Ramirez, and it will be interesting to see his next step forward. Consistently finding himself among the top 100 prospects lists, Cristian Hernandez will also play in his first full season of pro ball with Myrtle Beach.

Starting Pitchers:

1. Hayden Wesneski
2. Jordan Wicks
3. Porter Hodge
4. Luis Devers
5. Ben Brown

The ace of this rotation, Hayden Wesneski, rightfully claims his spot on the throne due to still technically being a prospect. We all know what he did last season and in Spring Training this year, and he is a fantastic example of why you can't always look at a top prospects list and think that if somebody isn't there, they don't have great potential.

A lot of these guys will be must-sees at Double-A Tennesse this year. We hope to see Jordan Wicks put it all together and bust out this year. A season ago, he recorded a combined 3.80 ERA between High-A and Double-A, and that arm has plenty of potential. Porter Hodge and Luis Devers held it down in High-A last year and helped South Bend win the Midwest League Championship. Hodge, 22 years old, recorded a 2.01 ERA in 40.1 IP once he got called up from Myrtle Beach, and Devers, also 22, won Cubs minor league pitcher of the year after notching a 1.05 ERA once he was promoted to High-A in 51.1 frames.

Ben Brown recorded a 3.38 ERA between High-A and Double-A and is also eyeing a breakout season this year. He will have plenty of opportunity to do so after recording 149 strikeouts in just 104 innings of work.

Relievers:

1. Luke Little
2. DJ Herz
3. Jeremiah Estrada
4. Walker Powell
5. Calen Kilian
6. Bailey Horn
7. Cade Horton
8. Jackson Ferris

A bullpen that consists of the Cub's top prospects is stacked. You have the depth Jed Hoyer emphasizes with potential pitchers that can spot-start across the board, except for Jeremiah Estrada and Bailey Horn. Elsewhere, Luke Little's 2.47 ERA between High-A and South Bend puts him in a position for a strong breakout season this year. Walker Powell's 2.76 between three levels, and more importantly, saw his best success at Double-A with a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 IP.

It will be exciting to see how 2022 draft picks Cade Horton and Jackson Ferris perform this upcoming season. Both are listed on Cubs reporter as starting pitchers for Low-A Myrtle Beach to begin the year, and the hope is they will excel up the ladder to High-A before long. Nevertheless, the future of the Cubs looks fantastic. Here's to hoping most of these guys are in the majors before long.

Next. Chicago Cubs prospect Caleb Killian struggles in first AAA start of the season. dark

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The lineup:

Starting Pitchers:

Relievers:

Schedule