Today, we’re unveiling the 10 best prospects in the Cubs system entering 2025.
The top of the Cubs system is headlined by Matt Shaw, a bat-first infielder whose positional versatility could earn him playing time in the major leagues next season.
Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes is hosting a chat at 2 p.m. ET to discuss Shaw and the overall state of Chicago’s farm system. Be sure to also watch this week’s Hot Sheet show at 3:30 p.m. ET for an in-depth breakdown of every NL Central farm system.
Below, you can find our projected Cubs lineup for 2028, as well as a rundown of prospects with the best scouting tools in the system.
Projected 2028 Lineup
Catcher: Miguel Amaya (29)
First Base: Michael Busch (30)
Second Base: James Triantos (25)
Third Base: Matt Shaw (26)
Shortstop: Dansby Swanson (34)
Left Field: Cam Smith (25)
Center Field: Pete Crow-Armstrong (26)
Right Field: Kevin Alcantara (25)
Designated Hitter: Moises Ballesteros (24)
No. 1 Starter: Shota Imanaga (34)
No. 2 Starter: Cade Horton (26)
No. 3 Starter: Ben Brown (28)
No. 4 Starter: Javier Assad (30)
No. 5 Starter: Brandon Birdsell (28)
Closer: Jaxon Wiggins (26)
Best Tools
Best Hitter for Average: James Triantos
Best Power Hitter: Owen Caissie
Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Cam Smith
Fastest Baserunner: Brett Bateman
Best Athlete: Kevin Alcantara
Best Fastball: Jaxon Wiggins
Best Curveball: Grant Kipp
Best Slider: Cade Horton
Best Changeup: Nick Dean
Best Control: Brandon Birdsell
Best Defensive Catcher: Pablo Aliendo
Best Defensive Infielder: James Triantos
Best Infield Arm: Cristian Hernandez
Best Defensive Outfielder: Kevin Alcantara
Best Outfield Arm: Jordan Nwogu
