We’ve reached the point in the offseason that is devoid of prospect content. Mid-to-late-December means the Arizona Fall League and the stories from it are no longer visible in the rear view mirror but prospects have not yet made their way down for winter training in Mesa (that typically occurs the first week of January).
With that being said, I was still able to track down some Cubs prospect (or prospect-adjacent) nuggets from the last week! Enjoy!
Things to Read
- I’ve promoted it plenty and I appreciate the folks that shared it on social media, but I’ll plug my article about Chris Clarke and his impact on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans one more time. It’s quite possibly my favorite article I’ve ever written and such a cool story.
- This is a really, really good writeup on Bally’s defense. No sugarcoating here.
Things to Watch
- I want to apologize for the lack of Cubs On Deck episodes recently! This is about as inconsistent as I’ve ever been with the show. It didn’t help that the next release date lined up with the holidays this week. However, I can say that I have another player lined up for an interview, with the episode set to drop the Tuesday after the new year!
Things Worth Some Attention
- Every year around this time, I like to take a look at the prospects that could have an impact in the Chicago bullpen. This year’s list isn’t nearly as robust as past seasons — although it doesn’t include guys like Luke Little (no longer a prospect), Jaxon Wiggins (likely a starting pitcher), or Jack Neely (could always bounce back from a brutal 2025).
- Old friend and former top prospect Brennen Davis has found a new home, now in the Mariners organization. It was more of the same from Brennen in 2025: great numbers when healthy, but missing lots of time due to injury.
- The Cheese Man has decided to hang up the cleats. I’m surprised Strumpf didn’t head to a a league like the KBO or even the NPB — I think he is a prime candidate to thrive over there before attempting a comeback stateside. But I also understand that route isn’t for everyone and the decision to spend time with family is a perfectly reasonable one!
- I’m curious about how the Tyler Austin signing indirectly impacts Jonathon Long’s 2026 MLB outlook. I’m not saying that he’s necessarily blocked by a 34-year-old player who has been out of the league for 6 seasons, but the addition does push Long down to fourth on the Cubs’ first base depth chart behind Michael Busch, Tyler Austin, and Moises Ballesteros.
- I kid, but this would be awesome for us prospect nerds.
- Another Cubs prospect legend has a new home. Vimael Machin was one of my favorites during his time in the Cubs organization.
- Prior to the Cubs bringing in Christian Bethencourt on a minor league deal, I had zero catchers slated to start the year in Iowa. My guess is they will still add at least one or two more vets in the coming months.
Out of the Vines 