This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Roughly a three-hour drive separates the towns of Norman and Roland in Oklahoma. Cubs righty Cade Horton played high school and college baseball in the former, located south of Oklahoma City, while prospect Jaxon Wiggins was in the latter as a prep star, closer to the Arkansas border.

The excitement still permeates throughout the Cubs organization after news came down last weekend that three-time All-Star Alex Bregman will be joining the club on a five-year pact, further bolstering one of the National League’s premier offensive units for seasons to come. And as the 2026 international signing period gets

With Alex Bregman set to join Dansby Swanson on the left side of the Cubs infield, after reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $175 million free agent contract last week, it sets them up to become the fifth pair of teammates taken first and second in the same Draft. The D-backs

CHICAGO – The Cubs have been looking for a way to add an impact arm to their rotation this offseason. Zeroing in on hard-throwing righty Edward Cabrera of the Marlins was always an enticing possibility on the trade front, dating back to Chicago’s search for arms ahead of last summer’s

CHICAGO – The Cubs always felt that Moisés Ballesteros' skills in the batter’s box could carry him quickly up the organizational ladder. Even if there was still development left on the catching front, he was too good of a hitter to leave in the Minor Leagues for that reason alone.

Moisés Ballesteros has developed into one of the best prospects in baseball (MLB No. 53) and top catching prospects (No. 5), in particular, because of his next-level hitting ability. The 22-year-old has displayed elite bat-to-ball skills since signing for $1.2 million out of Venezuela in 2021 and has continued to

When the Cubs ended a four-season playoff drought in 2025 and went on to win their first postseason series in eight years, the Draft played a significant role. First-round picks Ian Happ (2015), Nico Hoerner (2018), Cade Horton (2022) and Matt Shaw (2023) were mainstays in the lineup and rotation.

The Cubs added three prospects to the 40-man roster at the tender deadline last month, shielding infielders Pedro Ramirez (No. 8) and James Triantos (No. 10) and lefty Riley Martin from Rule 5 Draft eligibility. But that still leaves a host of players in the system – including six of

It’s the reason for the season. On Thursday, folks all across Chicagoland and beyond will gather with plates filled with turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes for American Thanksgiving, and with the Bears not playing until the next day, maybe the attention around the dining table turns to another sports fandom.

Once a standout two-way player in college, Cole Mathis took another step toward putting his pitching career fully behind him in the Arizona Fall League. He had only hit in 2024 at College of Charleston because of elbow trouble, which required Tommy John surgery in August after the Cubs took

CHICAGO – The Cubs added three players to their 40-man roster on Tuesday night, removing the group of prospects from the pool of players up for grabs in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. Infielders Pedro Ramirez (No. 8 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Prospects list for the Cubs) and James

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- In a late July at-bat for Single-A Myrtle Beach, Owen Ayers couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong. He pushed through the plate appearance, but didn’t put his catcher’s gear back on the next inning. It turned out his right hand was broken. And amid the club’s

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Nick Lovullo had stood in the box countless times and watched his dad, Torey, wind up to throw a pitch as part of their batting practice sessions. But during Sunday’s Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game, Nick found himself with a new angle: catching a ball from

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Baseball was always the path Owen Ayers wanted to take. Kathy Ayers, the native of Sarasota, Florida’s mom, played softball at Valdosta State. His dad, Jeff Ayers, played baseball at the same school. With two parents closely connected to the sport, he was holding a bat in his hand by

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – For two years at the College of Charleston, Cole Mathis lived every young ballplayer’s dream: he pitched, he hit, and he did both well. After standing out in the Georgia high school ranks, Mathis spent his freshman year on campus predominantly coming out of the club’s bullpen.

With Week 1 of the 2025 Arizona Fall League in the books, it’s time to look back at the biggest standouts at the plate and on the mound from the start of the campaign. Although rain from Hurricanes Priscilla and Raymond forced the cancellation of several games, plenty of players

The road to World Series glory can be paved in a myriad of ways. Each of the 12 teams hoping to be the last ones standing in this year’s postseason have been constructed in very different ways. There are the super-homegrown squads, like the Guardians and Tigers, leading the way

CHICAGO – Cubs rookie outfielder Owen Caissie pulled off a difficult catch on Saturday afternoon, but it came at a cost. In the wake of Chicago's 5-4 loss to the Rays, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Caissie had entered Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol after hitting his head on

CHICAGO -- After officially retiring as a member of the Cubs, Anthony Rizzo had some plans for his day at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon. He wanted to eat a hot dog and drink a few cold ones with fans in the old ballpark’s famous bleachers. He joked that he