Unheralded Chicago Cubs Prospect Makes Strong Impression at Arizona Fall League

Another Chicago Cubs prospect is performing well, giving them even more depth than they might have otherwise thought.

South Bend Cubs outfielder Brett Bateman, right, throws water on infielder Jonathon Long after winning a minor league baseball game 4-3 against the Lake County Captains at Four Winds Field on Friday, June 21, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Chicago Cubs might have the best farm system in baseball heading into next year based on how many future stars they seem to have in their pipeline.

While that is a great sign for future success, the Cubs are also looking to get back into the playoffs right now after coming short up every season since the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

How they go about upgrading this roster will be seen.

Despite multiple star players being available on the open market again, Chicago's unwillingness to spend money that would put them over the luxury tax threshold already has them voluntarily pulling out of the sweepstakes for Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes.

Perhaps they could look to trade some of the top prospects to net a return that improves them at the Major League level, and if that's the case, they have plenty to choose from.

One of the latest who is starting to emerge is Jonathon Long.

Despite being a bit unheralded compared to the others on the farm since he's ranked No. 30 in their pipeline, the 22-year-old is putting together a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League and was named one of the top performers of Week 5 by Joe Trezza of MLB.com after he went 6-for-15 with two doubles, two homers, and five RBI.

"The only AFL player to homer more than once this week, Long went yard in consecutive games on Nov. 5-6, giving the third baseman six long balls in 16 games this fall. Entering Week 6, he stands tied for the second-most homers in the Fall League and is hitting .348 with a robust 1.110 OPS," he wrote.

That's a monster showing for the Cubs and this youngster.

Outfield is a position group that is logjammed already, not just at the Major League level, but also in the minors with seven others earning top 30 designations.

That could ultimately turn Long into an infielder since he's played just 17 games in left field while getting 75 at first base and 30 at third.

Taken in the ninth round of the 2023 draft, he put together an impressive first full season of professional baseball this past year with a slash line of .283/.391/.461, 17 homers and 70 RBI across two levels that included Double-A.

Long seems to have a bright future.

It will be interesting to see what Chicago ultimately decides to do with the emerging prospect, but coming off this Arizona Fall League showing, he certainly will be viewed much differently internally than he otherwise would have been.