Watch Chicago Cubs prospect Owen Caissie launch a home run to center field

Yesterday, Chicago Cubs prospect, Owen Caissie, took to the field for Team Canada in their first game of pool play in the World Baseball Classic. Wasting no time, Caissie contributed to the 18-8 routing of Great Britain with a 2-5 day, including three RBIs and a home run. Check out the video of the solo missile below: 

A fantastic start for the #13 prospect in the Cubs organization on the national stage. With Cubs prospects Pete Crow-Armstrong and James Triantos rooting Caissie on in attendance, the titanic shot was measured at 427’ to deep center field and looks like it just missed bouncing off the batter's eye. Caissie represents one of the many outfield prospects offering a high ceiling and was found last year on Fangraphs’ 2022 top 100 prospect list at #100. 

Last season, Caissie slashed .254/.349/.402/113 wRC+, 11 HRs, 58 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases at High-A South Bend. Defensively, he recorded an immaculate 0.988 fielding percentage, including 162 total putouts between right and left field, with only two errors on the season. He fits the mold for a Cubs team that puts extreme emphasis on defense moving forward. At only 20 years old, Caissie has made notable strides, having had a better year in High-A than he had in a smaller sample a season before in A-ball. The key for him next season will be to continue elevating his batting average while cutting back on his 28.6% strikeout rate.

In the World Baseball Classic, he will get the chance to get some at-bats against some better pitching with Team USA and Team Mexico in the same pool. What I love most about the at-bat above is the power he displayed in a left vs. left matchup. That is the type of skill set that will help him achieve great success. Once the tournament wraps up, he can take this experience back to the minor leagues, where he will look to improve and move up the ladder in 2023.