This underrated Chicago Cubs prospect is shining bright in the AFL

Among the Chicago Cubs prospects playing in the Arizona Fall League, all eyes are on Moises Ballesteros. The team's #4 prospect by MLB Pipeline has gone supernova during offseason play after having a banner year and getting the bump up to Triple-A Iowa. In 57 plate appearances, he's hit for an absurd .373/.404/.725 line with five home runs, including his third straight on Monday. He's done everything in his power to show why the Cubs named him their Minor League Player of the Year and why he's likely to be a big part of the plan for 2025.

While Ballesteros has been showered with praise by both local and national outlets alike - and rightfully so - another hitter has similarly been thriving in his shadow. Moreover, he's tearing up the league after his own strong season in the minors. That prospect is their #30 farm hand, corner infielder Jonathon Long.

Selected in the ninth round of the 2023 draft, Long is quietly making a case that he's one of the better power bats in the Cubs system right now. He's certainly shown that in Arizona, where he's hit .317/.380/.585 with 3 long balls of his own, 11 strikeouts, and 3 walks in 46 plate appearances. While not as impressive as his organization-mate, it's still a remarkably small sample run for a guy who only just got his first taste of Double-A.

Long has always hit fairly well in the Cubs system, slashing .260/.380/.532 with a 156 wRC+ at Single-A Myrtle Beach last year. He performed solidly enough at South Bend this year too with a 121 wRC+ and ten home runs, but it wasn't until he reached Double-A Tennessee that he shot into the stratosphere. In 200 plate appearances, he improved to a 189 wRC+ courtesy of a .340/.455/.528 slash line. That includes seven more long balls and a much-improved 16.5% strikeout rate and 17.5% walk rate. His tear, particularly in August, earned him Southern League Player of the Month honors and put him firmly in the running for Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year for Chicago.

The future looks bright for Long, but will it be with the Cubs?

Before this year, Long was not really on the radar when considering the other major talents in the system. Between his Double-A and AFL performances, however, there's hope that his breakout is for real. It'd be another huge scouting win for the Cubs who have found some impressive talents later in the draft lately, including Dodgers breakout prospect Zyhir Hope whom they packaged in the trade for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte. Being able to churn out legitimate minor-league studs from those rounds bodes very well for the future of the organization

Unlike Ballesteros, Long isn't a stone's throw away from the majors. Current estimates are that he'll be ready for the big leagues in 2026, which will be his age-24 season. He'll likely begin in Double-A once again to see if he can continue to put up big numbers with solid plate discipline. When the time comes though, he might be another asset for the Cubs to dangle to other teams. Long has primarily played first base which is locked up by Busch, though he's also gotten some reps in at third to make him more versatile. Even there, though, they have Isaac Paredes right now along with Matt Shaw and Cam Smith looming.

If Long's breakout continues next year, that will be a welcome problem to figure out. Another season hitting like he is will really start to see him fly up the prospect rankings. Until then, however, he's a key name to watch in the AFL and beyond.