PCA – Pic by Dylan Heuer/Iowa Cubs

I was not expecting this on Thanksgiving, but somehow Baseball Prospectus’ Top Cubs prospect List is out. Let’s get to it!

The number one prospect is who you would think it is…Pete Crow-Armstrong. No shocker there.

Things start to get tricky after that.

Matt Shaw came in at number two. That was a surprise. On Twitter, BP’s Jeff Paternostro said the following about the top of the list:

Well, shortly after the list went up I got a fairly convincing argument from a scout that Shaw should be number one in this system, and I get it but the pro track record—even if I have questions about the bat going forward—and potential elite defense does keep PCA ahead for now.

I am getting the sense that we may not see PCA atop every list this winter. Is that a knock on PCA? To be brutally honest – no, it is not. I worked on my prospect list yesterday and I have just three slots left to finalize. And, yes, they are the first three. I contemplated Shaw for a minute and Horton for another minute. In fact, I have not decided who is number one yet because the three of them are so good! Shaw’s bat is so elite and Horton might have the best stuff in all of MiLB.

Back to the list…

Horton did roll in at 3 followed by Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara. Moises Ballesteros got the sixth spot and James Triantos the seventh. Jordan Wicks got the eighth position while Jefferson Rojas, everybody’s favorite teenage shortstop, was at nine and Ben Brown ended the list at ten.

There’s really not much to quibble with here. It is strange, though, as BP is known for throwing a big surprise in the back of the first ten. This year there was no shocking moment.

Beyond the top ten, Pedro Ramirez, Michael Arias, Matt Mervis, Marino Santy (SURPRISE!!!), Jaxon Wiggins, Jackson Ferris, BJ Murray, and Alexander Canario also got some pub and loving from the staff there. The Santy love raised some eyebrows here but he does have the one nasty curve.

In the chat on Twitter, Paternostro also added to the “Zyhir Hope hype train.”

Zyhir Hope is the guy we are going to be perhaps irrationally high on, but between Jarrett and me I think we got flagged by three separate people on him. He may just not be able to hit, but the damage potential is certainly already there.

I am liking this selection of Hope and the heaping of praise. It is looking like he could be the steal of the 2023 Draft.

The Kids Are Alright

While this is only the second prospect list of the offseason, the following trend is evident: The kids from the last four talent acquisition cycles are taking over the system. Guys brought on board between 2016-2019 have had their day are being pushed off the lists. It is turning into an impressive parade of youth bubbling up through the system. BP said it best:

“The Cubs are well-positioned to supplement a roster that just missed out on a playoff berth in 2023 with a deep, well-balanced system that features both upside and proximity, arms and bats.

Tomorrow, Greg Zumach will be covering Prospect Live’s Top Prospect List. So, check that out in the morning!