Chicago Cubs Option Top Prospect to Triple-A as They Lighten Spring Roster

Owen Caissie, who is one of the top prospects in the Cubs organization, has been sent to Triple-A Iowa.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Owen Caissie against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs reduced their major league spring training attendance on Wednesday by cutting four players from big-league camp.

One of those players was top prospect Owen Caissie, per Jared Wyllys of ALLCHGO.com.

Cubs reduced their spring training roster today. pic.twitter.com/aHeqACSjFc

— Jared Wyllys (@jwyllys) February 26, 2025

Caissie, 22, was a second-round pick of the San Diego Padres back in 2020 and came to the Cubs in the deal that sent Yu Darvish to San Diego. Caissie was ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the organization in 2024, according to MLB Pipeline. The Top 30 prospects for this year will be released by the outlet again this March 3, 4, and 5.

An outfielder, he spent all of last season at Triple-A Iowa, hitting .278 with 19 homers and 75 RBI. He also stole 11 bases and MLB Pipeline projects him to make his debut this year.

The following comes from a portion of Caissie's MLB.com prospect profile:

Despite his youth, Caissie already generates some of the highest exit velocities in the game and his raw power earns top-of-the-scale grades from some evaluators. The bat speed from his left-handed swing and the projectable strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame could translate into 35-40 homers per season as he continues to pull and lift pitches more frequently and makes adjustments at the plate. He struck out at a 31 percent rate in 2023 and struggles with sliders, but the whiffs are an acceptable tradeoff for his pop and he does draw a healthy amount of walks.

The Cubs figure to use Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki as their outfielders to start the year.

The Cubs open the season on March 18 in Tokyo against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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