Cubs ink first-round pick Cade Towsend

The Chicago Cubs on Friday announced they have agreed to terms with five players from the 2026 MLB Draft, including first-round selection (23rd overall) right-handed pitcher Cade Townsend from the University of Mississippi. All five players who agreed to terms were top-10 round selections.

Terms of the deals were not disclosed, but MLB.com's Jim Callis reported Townsend signed for $3.1 million. The slot value for the 23rd overall pick was $3,947,600.

Along with Townsend, the Cubs have agreed to terms with right-handed pitchers Carson Jasa (third round), Dylan Marionneaux (fourth round) and Luke Alwood (10th round), as well as left-handed pitcher Cole Tryba (seventh round). Jasa was recommended by area scout Ty Nichols, Marionneaux was recommended by area scout Todd George, Tryba was recommended by area scout Jim Woodward and Alwood was recommended by area scout Steve Ames.

Townsend, 21, went 5-3 with a 3.94 ERA (28 ER/64.0 IP) in 14 starts at the University of Mississippi this season. He earned All-SEC Second Team honors and was named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes award. He struck out 88 batters in 64.0 IP, good for 12.38 strikeouts per 9.0 IP, the sixth-best mark in the SEC.

In two seasons at the University of Mississippi, Townsend went 6-3 with a 4.78 ERA (52 ER/98.0 IP) and 131 strikeouts in 29 games (22 starts). The six-foot one-inch right-handed pitcher graduated from Santa Margaria Catholic High School (Calif.), where he was named First Team All-American, First Team All-State and the Orange County Register Pitcher of the Year in 2024.

Jasa, 21, went 10-2 with a 3.59 ERA (35 ER/87.2 IP) and 117 strikeouts in 16 starts at the University of Nebraska in 2026 and was named a Third Team All-American by Rawlings/ABCA. He became the 13th pitcher in Nebraska history to win 10 games in a single season. His 117 strikeouts were the fifth-most all-time by a Cornhusker in a single season. All told in two seasons with Nebraska, Jasa went 12-4 with a 4.49 ERA (53 ER/106.1 IP) in 27 games (20 starts).

Marionneaux, 21, went 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA (33 ER/84.2 IP) in 14 starts with Northwestern State in 2026. He registered a team-high 14 starts and 81 strikeouts, while leading the Southland Conference in innings pitched. Following the season, he was named to the All-Southland Conference First Team. The Zachary, La., native, across three seasons at Northwestern State, went 10-12 with a 4.92 ERA (97 ER/177.1 IP) in 44 games (30 starts).

Tryba, 21, is 8-7 with a 3.55 ERA (48 ER/121.2 IP) and 13 saves in 63 games (two starts) across three seasons at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was named an All-Big West Honorable Mention in 2024 and 2026.

Alwood, 22, registered a 5.56 ERA (27 ER/43.2 IP), two saves and 48 strikeouts in 19 games (two starts) at Seattle University (Wash.) this season. A native of Tokyo, Japan, Alwood graduated from Maui High School in Hawaii.