Cubs' Prospects Shine in Impressive 2024 Minor League Season
ICARO Media Group
In a standout 2024 minor league season, Chicago Cubs' prospects showcased their talent and potential, with Matt Shaw leading the pack as the standout player. Shaw, a first-round pick from 2023, excelled in his first full professional season, reaching Triple-A and earning the title of organizational player of the year from Baseball America. His impressive offensive stats, including a .284 batting average, .379 on-base percentage, and .488 slugging percentage, with a 146 wRC+, placed him among the top performers in the minor leagues.
While Shaw's performance was exceptional, other Cubs prospects also made their mark during the season. Jonathan Long, an emerging 22-year-old corner infielder, displayed significant improvement, especially after his promotion to Double-A Tennessee, where he boasted a remarkable slash line of .340/.455/.528 with a 189 wRC+. Despite Shaw's dominance, Long's breakout at the plate highlighted his potential impact in the Cubs' farm system.
Additionally, Moises Ballesteros showed promise in his 2024 season, reaching Triple-A at a young age and delivering solid offensive numbers throughout the year. Ballesteros' performance, including a slash line of .289/.354/.471 with a 127 wRC+, demonstrated his potential as a future contributor to the Cubs' lineup. Although Shaw stood out among positional players, Ballesteros and Long showcased their abilities and added depth to the Cubs' pool of talented prospects.
On the pitching side, Brandon Birdsell emerged as a notable standout, making significant strides throughout the season. Despite not posting eye-popping numbers, Birdsell's progression and improvement as the year went on garnered attention. With an impressive strikeout total of 134 for the season and a commendable strikeout-to-walk ratio, Birdsell's development and performance highlighted his potential as a key pitching prospect for the Cubs. While other pitchers like Nico Zeglin and Sam Armstrong showed promise in their respective roles, Birdsell's growth and consistency set him apart in the Cubs' minor league system.