Speedy Chicago Cubs Prospect Sets Minor League Franchise Record

The Chicago Cubs have a prospect in the minor leagues that may be one of the best stealers in professional baseball.

Mar 24, 2018; Peoria, AZ, USA; A Chicago Cubs cap sits on the dugout steps during the second inning of the game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Never heard of Cristian Hernandez? The Chicago Cubs prospect is out to change that — one stolen base at a time.

The 20-year-old Dominican Republic native is playing for the Cubs’ Class-A affiliate in Myrtle Beach, his fourth season of professional baseball. In the Pelicans’ game on Tuesday, he stole a pair of bases.

That’s nothing new for him.

He has 33 stolen bases this season, but this is his second at Myrtle Beach. In 2023 he stole 27 bases. So, in 189 career games he’s stolen 60 bases.

That is an important milestone for Hernandez and the franchise. With those two stolen bases, he became the affiliate's all-time career stolen base leader.

With two steals tonight, Cristian Hernandez has set the Pelicans franchise record with 60 career stolen bases! #MBPelicans | #YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/NGrFXwinQS

— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) July 24, 2024

The best part of the milestone is that it came in a 7-1 win over the Augusta GreenJackets. Hernandez went 3-for-5 with a double and drove in four runs.

He is a prospect worth watching. MLB Pipeline has him listed as Chicago’s No. 17 overall prospect and a potential call-up in 2027. So, it could be a while before he gets to Wrigley Field.

But, since signing with the Cubs as an international free agent, he’s made steady progress.

In 2021, his first professional season with the Dominican Summer League Cubs, he slashed .285/.398/.424/.822 with five home runs and 22 RBI. He also stole 21 bases in 47 games.

They moved him to their Arizona Complex League rookie team in 2022 and he continued to hit, as he slashed .261/.320/.357/.677 with three home runs and 21 RBI. He stole just six bases in 44 games.

He struggled with the first year of his promotion to Myrtle Beach. Last year he slashed .223/.302/.301/.603 with four home runs and 40 RBI, along with the 27 stolen bases. For the first time in his career he reached double-digits in doubles with 12.

Through 83 games this season he has improved at the plate with a slash line of .263/.380/.393/.773, four home runs and 41 RBI. He already surpassed his single-season mark with 20 doubles, along with four triples, which is also a single-season high.

Recently, Baseball America re-ranked the Top 100 prospects in baseball and four Cubs future stars made the list — pitcher Cade Horton (No. 35), third baseman Matt Shaw (No. 41), outfielder Owen Caissie (No. 48) and shortstop Jefferson Rojas (No. 53).

The way Hernandez is playing, he could join those prospects on the rise soon. And, when he does, he’ll probably be on the run.