A look at the Cubs’ Outfield Depth

With the season winding down, it’s intriguing to look at some minor league players who will make future impacts.

According to MLB.COM, the Cubs have the 10th best farm system in baseball. This ranking has significantly improved since the 2022 off-season and the past few seasons.

As the ranking notes, the top three prospects, all top 100 prospects, are outfielders. The three include Pete Crow-Armstrong (31), Brennen Davis (51) and Kevin Alcantara (91).

Pete Crow-Armstrong is a 20-year-old centerfielder who continues to rise throughout the minors. He was acquired from the New York Mets at the 2021 trade deadline in the Javier Baez trade. He was one of the Mets’ prized farm system possessions. Crow-Armstrong has dominated each level of the minors in his short, two-year career. This season he has competed in A+ and A ball in Myrtle Beach. With the Myrtle Beach Cubs (A), he has posted .354/.443/1.000 splits.

His performance put him in the spotlight. Crow-Armstrong competed in the MLB All-Futures Game at Dodger Stadium during the All-Star week. Los Angeles is important to the young slugger.

“I grew up going to Dodgers-Cubs games. Yeah, it definitely makes it a little more special that I get to play in front of my people.”

Most people believe Crow-Armstrong will make an impact in 2024, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs give him a shot next season, especially if he continues to rise.

His talent is off the charts. He’ll be an incredible player at Wrigley Field soon.

Brennen Davis ranks second in Cubs’ prospects. 

Davis has endured a lot in his minor league career with the Cubs. The Cubs selected him out of Basha High School in the June 2018 Amateur Draft. In 2018 and 2019, Davis competed in A ball, where he played well. During 2020, the minors were cancelled, and Davis lost an important season of development. In 2021, Davis played better than ever, rising from A+ ball to AAA. Most of his 2021 season was played in AA, but he finished his season with the Iowa Cubs (AAA), where he totaled 16 games.

In 2022, he opened at AAA, where he struggled greatly. Davis missed three months of the season due to a back injury that needed surgery. On Aug. 15, he returned to action in the Arizona Complex League. 

Davis was slated to make an impact with the big-league Cubs in 2022. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until next season to see Davis’ long-anticipated debut.

Kevin Alcantara is the third and final outfield prospect in the top 100.

Alcantara made his minor league debut with the New York Yankees in 2019. In his debut season, Alcantara struggled within two level of the minors. In 2021, he played in nine games before being sent to the Northside for Cub legend Anthony Rizzo. Alcantara played 25 games in the Arizona Complex League to finish the 2021 season. He dominated, hitting 12 extra-base hits in a small sample size.

Alcantara has struggled to end the 2022 season in the Carolina League. However, his potential as a 20-year-old, 6’6 outfielder still remains. He’s a name to watch over the next few seasons.