This 2025 Cubs draft pick is drawing rave reviews and could get promoted soon

The 2025 MLB Draft is now well in the rearview mirror, and the Cubs have moved quickly on getting their draft picks involved with the organization.

The team has signed 19 of its 20 picks -- 19th-round selection Caleb Barnett will honor his commitment to the University of Alabama -- assigning most of the position players to various levels of the minors.

While first-round selection Ethan Conrad won't be participating in any baseball activities this year while rehabbing a shoulder injury, second-round pick Kane Kepley is off to a furious start with Low-A Myrtle Beach.

If his initial level of production continues, Kepley will surely be in South Bend before the year is out.

Kane Kepley's brilliant start makes him a candidate for promotion to South Bend

Through 17 games (84 plate appearances) with Myrtle Beach, the 21-year-old is slashing .387/.548/.532. His 223 wRC+ is off-the-charts good, and it's almost hard to fathom his 19.0 percent walk rate compared to his scant 11.9 percent strikeout rate.

It's no secret that he's been bullying the lowest level of the (stateside) minor leagues, but this kind of production is truly special.

Luckily, the Cubs have some recent history with this, as their first-round pick from last year, Cam Smith, also began his career on a torrid stretch immediately after signing with the organization.

Smith posted a 225 wRC+ in 15 games with Myrtle Beach before securing his promotion, and he would then force another promotion from High-A South Bend (posting a 159 wRC+ in 12 games) to Double-A Knoxville before the season was out.

Obviously, Smith's meteoric ascension proved to be his ticket out of town, as he became the centerpiece of the trade package in return for Kyle Tucker. He then skipped Triple-A and made the Astros' Opening Day roster in one of the most impressive rises from any draft prospect in recent memory.

Kepley likely won't make that kind of immediate leap like Smith. For one thing, the Cubs are exceedingly likely to hold onto the former Tar Heel this offseason, especially if Tucker walks in free agency.

Also, whereas Smith got by with prodigious pop, Kepley makes his hay with blazing speed and an advanced plate approach. Those skills will absolutely play at the MLB level, but he needs to prove he can do it against better competition than Low-A and the ACC before the Cubs even think about giving him a chance in Chicago.

Nevertheless, Kepley is clearly too good for his current level, and a promotion to High-A should be coming soon (likely around the end of the month). If he keeps this level of production up in South Bend and beyond, there may be some very fun conversations that need to be had come the start of the 2026 season.