Chicago Cubs Land Three on MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospects List

And just like that, the Cubs have a top-ten prospect in baseball again. It has been a minute since we have seen that. After being named the tenth-best prospect when MLB Pipeline released their new list, Crow-Armstrong ascended to the ninth spot as MLB graduated Miami's Eury Pérez from prospect status.

Crow-Armstrong, 21, has always been a defensive stud. He's an 80-grade prospect when it comes to his fielding, and I have his arm at a 60, too. We've known since, essentially, PCA was drafted that you could plug him into a major-league center field, and he could thrive. 

What's more exciting has been Crow-Armstrong's offensive development. After slashing .312/.376/.520 with 16 home runs, 20 doubles, and 10 triples across Low-A and High-A in 2022, Crow-Armstrong has continued to be an offensive force in Double-A. In 53 games with the Tennessee Smokies in 2023, Crow-Armstrong has a slash line of .280/.363/.491 with 9 home runs, 10 doubles, and 4 triples. 

The legs are still working fine, too. 2022 saw PCA swipe 32 bags, and he's already up to 19 steals in 26 tries with Tennessee this season. #8 prospect, RHP Bobby Miller of the Dodgers, and #2 prospect, Cincinnati infielder Elly De La Cruz, could both graduate from prospect status soon, so Crow-Armstrong may be rising even higher up the list shortly. 

MLB's 49th-Best Prospect: Cade Horton

Cade Horton is nasty and MLB Pipeline is taking notice. Chicago took Horton seventh overall in the 2022 MLB draft after the right-handed pitcher dominated in the collegiate postseason despite a rough regular season. Horton flashes a plus-fastball and plus-slider. His command for his pitches has seemingly come along much nicer than many expected as he has already breezed through Low-A and advanced to High-A baseball.

With the Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Horton needed just four games to convince the Cubs to promote him. The 21-year-old put up a 1.26 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 14.1 innings pitched while striking out 21 and walking just 4 batters. 

Now, in seven starts with the High-A South Bend Cubs, Horton has a 3.77 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 28.2 innings pitched. Horton has 46 strikeouts compared to 8 walks. If the righty can continue to dominate at this rate, he could continue to rapidly ascend—both on these lists and through the Cubs' minor-league system.

Ben Brown is #76 in MLB Pipeline's Top 100

Ben Brown being a top-100 prospect isn't a surprise. Brown nearly being a top-75 prospect is pretty cool, though. Chicago got Brown back from the Philadelphia Phillies in the David Robertson trade. At the time, he was listed as Philadelphia's 26th-ranked prospect. Even then, though, that ranking felt low. As soon as the Cubs acquired him, I ranked Brown 18th on my Cubs' top prospects list.

Still, he has continued to develop at a rapid pace and is now knocking on Chicago's door for a look in 2023. After pitching to a 4.06 ERA and struggling with command in his seven starts with the Tennessee Smokies after the Cubs acquired him last season, 2023 started with a much different story. 

Brown started 2023 with Double-A Tennessee once again and put up a 0.45 ERA and 0.95 WHIP to go along with 30 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. He was quickly promoted to Triple-A Iowa. There has certainly been a steep learning curve in Iowa as Brown has a 4.95 ERA in 10 starts; however, the strikeout numbers are continuing to flourish. Brown has 65 in 43.2 innings pitched. 

From a pitch arsenal perspective, Brown's fastball and curveball stand out as his best pitches with his slider right there, too. Brown could wind up as a long-relief option with the Cubs this season or even get some spot starts, but—either way—I think it is a good bet that we will see Brown in Chicago before this season ends.

Other Cubs Notes of Relevance 

Kevin Alcántara fell off MLB Pipeline's top 100 list after previously being ranked as the 68th-best prospect. MLB Pipeline provided a brief explanation as to why, saying he hasn't lived up to offensive expectations as a 20-year-old in High-A. To me, that is a bit of a stretch.

Sure, Alcántara is slashing just .254/.295/.398 with the South Bend Cubs. However, he has slashed .315/.375/.479 in June. Alcántara is up to six home runs, 14 doubles, and 11 stolen bases in 14 attempts on the season, too. The potential is still oozing out of the outfielder. I still have him ranked higher than Horton and Brown in the Cubs' farm system.

Owen Caissie not getting recognition on this list similarly puzzles me. The 20-year-old, left-handed-hitting outfielder has performed well defensively for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, primarily playing right field and showcasing good instincts in the outfield to match a stellar arm.

Of course, Caissie's bat is where he should be getting recognized. Where Alcántara was dinged for struggling to live up to offensive expectations as a 20-year-old in High-A, Caissie is raking as a 20-year-old in Double-A. On the season, Caissie is slashing .268/.367/.509 with 13 home runs and 12 doubles. I also have the Canadian slugger ranked higher than both Horton and Brown and think he should be getting love on this list, too. 

I'd imagine both Alcántara and Caissie have to be on the fringe of a list like this. Likely, LHP Jordan Wicks could be right behind them, too. It wouldn't have been a shock to see the Cubs have six prospects on this list. Instead, there are only three, which feels low and not totally representative of how good this farm system really is.