Chicago Cubs to Promote First-Round Pick to New Affiliate: Report

The Chicago Cubs are ready to send their first-round pick to a new level of the system when action starts this week.

Florida State infielder Cam Smith (24) looks on from the dugout in-between the second and third innings of an NCAA baseball matchup at 121 Financial Ballpark in Jacksonville, Fla. Florida State defeated Florida 14-3. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Monday is typically an off-day in the minor leagues. It will be a travel day for Chicago Cubs prospect Cam Smith.

Smith, who has dominated Class-A pitching since he started his pro career earlier this month, is being promoted to High-A South Bend, per a report from ESPN.

The Cubs have not announced the move officially. Most teams don’t officially announce minor league moves until gameday.

Smith, a right-handed hitting infielder from Lake Worth, Fla., will be looking to hit a home run in his seventh straight game when he joins the South Bend Cubs for a week-long homestand against Great Lakes that stats on Tuesday.

In just 14 games and 47 at-bats with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans he slashed .319/.411/.787/1.198 with six home runs and 12 RBI. He’s shown a good eye at the plate, as he has drawn eight walks against 12 strikeouts.

The Cubs selected Smith No. 14 overall out of Florida State and signed him to a $5.070 million bonus, which was the slot value for the pick.

When MLB Pipeline adjusted its Top 100 overall prospects and Top 30 Cubs prospects earlier this month, he was installed as the Cubs’ No. 9 prospect, with an arrival date in the Majors in 2026.

The 21-year-old slashed .387/.488/.654 with 16 home runs for the Seminoles as he helped push them to the Men’s College World Series. He projects as a third baseman at the Major League level, which means direct competition with last year’s first round pick, Matt Shaw, who was promoted to Triple-A Iowa and is now the organization’s No. 1 prospect.

Smith was an All-ACC Freshman Team pick in 2023 when he batted .258. So he improved his batting average by more than 100 points.

In between his two season at FSU he paid a visit to the Cape Cod Summer League, where he played for Hyannis. He slashed .347/.406/.575/.981 with six home runs and 26 RBI, setting up his huge 2024 season.

Chicago has emerged as one of the top farm systems in baseball and each of its top six prospects are among the Top 100 in baseball. Interestingly, all six are at Triple-A Iowa right now — Shaw, pitcher Cade Horton, outfielder Owen Caissie, catcher Moises Ballesteros, infielder James Triantos and outfielder Kevin Alcantara.

All but Horton are playing. He is out for the season with an injury, but the 2022 first-round pick is expected to challenge for a Major League roster spot next spring.