Cubs Star Says Prospects 'Chomping at the Bit' to Play

With one of the best farm systems in the MLB, one of the Chicago Cubs former top prospects says their current minor leaguers are 'chomping at the bit' to make the Major League roster.

The Chicago Cubs have one of the top farm systems in all of Major League Baseball. MLB.com ranks their pipeline as the fourth best in the sport.

Cubs fans and the front office got to see the development blossom on the big stage when rookies Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks pitched important outings for them, and top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong made his debut.

Crow-Armstrong is expected to make the Opening Day roster heading into 2024, marking his full transition from the minor leagues to the MLB.

But like the transition that he was able to make, the young star said that others in the farm system are ready for their moments.

"There are a lot of guys waiting to get up here," the center fielder said. "They’re chomping at the bit, which is promising. Guys want to be up here, and that's a great place to start for an organization."

Who gets called-up will be seen, but there are plenty of prospects who turned heads during the 2023 season.

One area Chicago is looking to improve is their bullpen and they could call on their young arms to provide that boost.

The No. 25 prospect in the pipeline, Luke Little, made his MLB debut last season, appearing in seven games and recording an ERA of 0.00.

He could turn into a major option for the Cubs moving forward.

Cade Horton is their No. 2 ranked prospect and No. 29 overall. He was a first round pick in 2022 and dazzled during his first professional season.

The right hander has been a starter in the minors and projects to be in that role with Chicago, so it's unlikely he would be brought up for a reliever role with the Cubs.

Ben Brown is in a similar situation. The No. 5 prospect in their pipeline has mainly been used as a starter in the minor leagues, but does have experience as a reliever.

He was having a breakout season in 2023 before injuries hurt his production late in the year.

Keep an eye on Brown as someone who could be called-up and play a major role next season.