This undervalued prospect could force Cubs into unexpected decision after hot start

The Chicago Cubs' farm system has undoubtedly taken a step back over the past year, but there's several prospects who could blosson into future pieces for the major league roster. One prospect is turning heads early is infielder Pedro Ramirez.

The Cubs protected Ramirez from the Rule 5 Draft by placing him on the 40-man roster during the offseason, and by default, that immediately makes him a potential option in the event of an injury to one of Nico Hoerner, Alex Bregman, or Dansby Swanson. Even if Matt Shaw goes down with an injury, Ramirez has demonstrated positional versatility that would make him the logical choice to replace the former first-round pick on the roster.

Ramirez may not need an injury. Scott Kingery is hanging around as the last man on the bench, and it seems like eventually the Cubs will reach a point where they look to have a higher floor on the roster, even for a spot that is going to have limited plate appearances. If that's the case, Ramirez is making an early case to be that option.

Through his first 73 plate appearances with the Iowa Cubs this season, Ramirez is slashing .328/.384/.642 with a wRC+ of 161 and 5 home runs. It's the early stage of an offensive breakout, considering Ramirez is already three home runs away from matching the highest output he's had during any season in the Cubs' system.

Pedro Ramirez could be a key piece to the Cubs' 2026 season

Along those lines, Ramirez is only 22 years old, and with this being his first stint at the Triple-A level, chances are the Cubs likely will look to other options in the immediate future. That being said, after impressing the veterans on the roster and the coaching staff during spring training, Ramirez being a potential September call-up may not be out of the question.

The underlying reality is that with the expectation of being a contender this season, the Cubs are most likely going to be at the MLB trade deadline later this summer. There's reason to believe the front office may prefer to hold onto Kevin Alcantara, Jaxon Wiggins, and Jefferson Rojas. It would also seem likely that Matt Shaw won't be included in trade talks.

That opens the door to Ramirez being the prospect that the Cubs dangle in trade talks. There's risk with that, as it would mean depleting the farm system even more, but that is the position the Cubs find themselves in this year.

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