Cubs grab RHP Townsend and his elite spin with 23rd overall pick

With the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Cubs selected right-hander Cade Townsend out of Mississippi.

Townsend, MLB Pipeline’s No. 35 Draft prospect, was one of the top sophomore-eligible pitchers on the board. A strong athlete at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, the righty typically throws his fastball at 94-97 mph and puts elite spin on his pitches.

Townsend generates high spin rates on his fastball, his upper-80s slider and his lower-80s curveball. He received plus grades -- 60 on the 20-80 scouting scale, according to MLB Pipeline -- on three different offerings: his slider, his curveball and a cutter that averages 90 mph. Townsend’s fastball received a plus grade of 55, and he also throws a changeup that got an average grade of 50.

The righty put it all together at the end of his freshman season at Ole Miss, blanking eventual national champion LSU for 4 2/3 innings in the SEC Tournament and reaching 98 mph on the radar gun. He became a regular starter for the Rebels in 2026, posting a 3.94 ERA in 14 games against tough competition with 88 strikeouts in 64 innings, an impressive 31.9% K rate.

It was a step up from an up-and-down 2025, in which Townsend had a 6.35 ERA and struggled with his control, walking 20 hitters in just 34 innings. He got better at landing his fastball and cutter for strikes while getting opponents to chase pitches outside the zone. The right-hander isn’t overwhelmingly physical, but he gets it done from a three-quarters arm slot on the mound.