This Cubs team has sparked the writing itch again, and so I’ve decided to listen and hit publish. Come hang out for the rest of 2025. Here’s the first post: open.substack.com/pub/fivecubs...
Why did Cade Horton stop at 79 pitches SIX times? 🤯 @cubsmith.bsky.social joins me to talk pitch counts, bullpen depth, and why scoring runs is actually… good? #Cubs #CubsPSPlus #CadeHorton #PitchingDepth #BleacherBunch @bleacherbunch.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...
CubsPS+ #109: Cade Horton, Pitch Counts & Pitching Depth with Bryan Smith
Podcast Episode · Bleacher Bunch Network: A Chicago Cubs Podcast · 06/05/2025 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
A couple 20-year-olds in A+ with identical OPS: Zyhir Hope: .300/.383/.506, 147+, 11.3 BB%, 23.7 K%, 72.2 Contact% Jefferson Rojas: .301/.389/.500, 145+, 10.8 BB%, 19.1 K%, 80.7 Contact%
Co-sign. Top four Cubs prospect currently in the minors, top 100 in MLB, imo.
Greg Huss@outofthevines.bsky.social · last yr.We are in the midst of what I think is a legitimate breakout season for Jaxon Wiggins. He’s up to 39.1 IP between High-A and Double-A and posting these numbers: 2.06 ERA, 1.09 WHIP 30.2 K%, 11.7 BB% 16.7 SwStr%, 32.0 CSW% .169/.272/.261//.532
We heard when Counsell joined that empowering young players to bridge success from the minors to Majors was one of his strengths. There might be other examples of him doing it, but how he’s built Palencia’s confidence up in the last few weeks is now example 1A. You can *see* his self belief growing.
Never a good idea to get too high on a player at his peak moments or too low on a player in his valleys. So let me offer some Ben Brown optimism today. Number of 4-seams in a game that exceed both 96 mph and 18 IVB (rising impact). Look at the top 2; they’re actively working on improved shape.
For the first time since leaving the University of Oklahoma, Cade Horton has thrown 80 pitches.
Jaxon Wiggins makes his Double-A debut tonight. His numbers in High-A were comical: 26.1 IP, 1.71 ERA, 0.99 WHIP 29.5 K%, 12.4 BB% 17.3 SwStr%, 32.9 CSW% .143/.257/.231//.488 opp slash
Moises Ballesteros playing pepper with the left center ivy is gonna hit different
I hope the day Cade Horton traveled to New York coincides with the day Jaxon Wiggins is told it’s time for Double-A. Suspect so.
It’s just not often that a first place team calls up the best pitching prospect they’ve had in 20 years for a start. Worthy of a party. And worthy of a post. www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2025/05...
What to Expect When You’re Expecting Cade Horton: The Phenom is Ready - Bleacher Nation
Cade Horton is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. Here's why.
bleachernation.com
Since Porter Hodge was (unfairly) hit for 5 runs on April 18, the Cubs bullpen ranks fourth in MLB in ERA (2.12) and sixth in FIP (3.18).
Looks like MiLB’s free game of the day is Cade Horton on the mound at 10:05 am central, so you’re welcome for ruining your work day. I’ll dump some observations during the game in here. Big thing to look for is if Horton can pass the 80-pitch mark. Has yet to do it as a pro, but 76 last outing.
60 minutes dedicated entirely to Moises Ballesteros! Analysis from: Me + @cubsmith.bsky.social Analysis for: both prospect followers & MLB fans 📺: youtu.be/jpPJ_czee0A?... 🍎: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c... 🔗: linktr.ee/cubsondeck
We just talked for an hour about Moises Ballesteros. Sorry bout it.
My upper deck seat yesterday had me looking straight up the line at third base, and I’m still in absolute disbelief that Gage Workman wasn’t charged an error and Porter Hodge wears all those runs. Respectfully, that was not a difficult Major League play. A brutal whiff. And, HA, didn’t matter!
I do some scouting report-type write ups over at our Ten Sixty West discord; here is an example from a strong outing yesterday. Reach out to me or @ivyfutures.bsky.social if interested in an invite, we’d love to have you.
Fantastic West Coast trip for the Cubs. Some hints of bad habits at the plate there at the end, Amaya on Tuesday, even Tucker on Wednesday, so you couldn’t ask for better timing for a day off ahead of a hard weekend of opposing pitchers. Grind until May 11 and prosper thereafter. 21 down, 20 to go.
Felt like a B- day for Cade Horton on the mound today. Fighting slider command, fastball ride wasn’t quite at the standard of the first 2 starts. And yet, 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R. And most importantly, 76 pitches. Most since May 22 last year. May call up comin’
So Moisés Ballesteros just hit his first home run of the year. That was cool, you’ll see the great videos of that soon enough. But let’s talk about his last 30 at-bats: .467 AVG .500 OBP .733 SLG ONE STRIKEOUT
One of the first breakouts in the Cubs system I can definitely point to in 2025 is Grant Kipp, the 25 yr old out of Yale in his 4th pro season. After two AA starts, Kipp’s numbers: 10 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 13 K. 34.3 CSW%. SIX pitches, including top 3 slider in the system.
My son, 10, has only yet had 2 favorite players. Anthony Rizzo and Mo Salah. After the unceremonious exit of Rizz, it would have been so disheartening to see FSG let Salah walk after *this* season. So, very thankfully: the king has returned. Ynwa.
I’ve seen enough: Cade Horton has re-earned his spot atop a Cubs prospect list. There’s still some rust, but the bones of what’s there are really really good.
We are SO back! @cubsmith.bsky.social and I recap the first full weekend of the MiLB season by talking about who stood out: Owen Caissie, Cristian Hernández, Jaxon Wiggins, Angel Cepeda, Connor Noland, Ben Cowles, Will Sanders, Evan Aschenbeck, JP Wheat 🔗: linktr.ee/cubsondeck
If you had to name one thing that PCA’s increase in bat speed — 26th percentile to 67th percentile this offseason — would best help with, fastballs would have been a good guess. And so would timing up a few more barrels. And yet, 0 barrels and 255 wOBAvFB thus far. Disconnect needs solving.