Chicago Cubs Introduce Four New Top-30 Prospects to Organization

Baseball American's re-rank of the Chicago Cubs' Top 30 prospects found three new players slide into the rankings.

Syndication: South Bend Tribune

Four Chicago Cubs prospects are new to Baseball America’s Top 30 organizational prospects, released as a re-rank in early June.

The re-rank was based on a variety of criteria, as Cubs prospects moved up and moved down the board.

Here are the four Cubs prospects who are new to the Top 30 and how they made the cut.

RHP Luke Little (No. 19)

No Cubs prospect crashed the party quite like Little, who has been nearly lights out in his first 16 games with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies (he started the season at High Class-A South Bend). He didn’t figure in a decision, but he had a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings, giving up 21 hits, nine runs (seven earned) and 22 walks. But he struck out 53 and batters are hitting .172 against him. His ERA was much higher at Tennessee (3.06) than at South Bend (0.52), but his strikeout-to-walk ratio held steady.

3B BJ Murray (No. 23)

He has spent the 2023 season with Tennessee after he played at South Bend last season. Through 57 games he has the potential to put together a career-best season. He slashed .268/.382/.478/.860 with seven home runs and 35 RBI. He’s already approaching his career numbers set last year (eight home runs and 53 RBI). He’s spent three seasons in the Cubs’ system, and he played in the Arizona Fall League in 2022.

SS Jefferson Rojas (No. 26)

The Dominican Republic native is only 18 and is at Class-A Myrtle Beach. But he’s already turning heads. He spent one game with the Cubs’ Arizona Complex League rookie team before the promotion to the Pelicans. In nine minor league games this season he’s slashing .313/.371/.531/.902 with one home run and three RBI. His slash numbers are similar to last year while with the Cubs’ Dominican Summer League team.

1B Hayden McGeary (No. 30)

Another Tennessee Smokie, McGeary is in just his second minor league season and he’s putting together impressive numbers. Through 57 games he’s slashing .317/.426/.514/.940 with nine home runs and 39 RBI after starting the season at South Bend. He started 2022 with the Cubs Arizona Complex League after he was selected in the 15th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. 

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