Pedro Ramírez entered 2026 with a reputation as a hit-over-power prospect. With every passing week with Triple-A Iowa, he’s doing something bit by bit to change that.
The Cubs’ No. 8 prospect homered twice and drove in a career-high eight runs Wednesday afternoon in Iowa’s 15-9 win over Louisville at Principal Park. The occasion marked the 22-year-old’s first multihomer game since Aug. 25, 2023, with Single-A Myrtle Beach and bested his previous single-game RBI high of five set just last Thursday at Columbus.
Ramírez connected on a two-run homer on a 1-0 sweeper from Bats righty Darren McCaughan (Reds) in the fifth inning for his first dinger of the matinee, this one heading 397 feet to dead center. His second long ball went to the same general part of the park but came with even more fireworks; a 412-foot grand slam on a 1-1 slider from right-hander Yunior Marte in the eighth that closed the scoring for both teams on the afternoon. Both homers came with the switch-hitting Ramírez batting from the left side.
The Venezuela native, who also added a two-run single in the seventh inning as part of his 3-for-5 showing, improved his slash line to .333/.396/.678 over the first 21 games of the 2026 season with the dominant display. His seven homers on the season are tied for second-most in the International League on the young campaign, trailing only teammate Kevin Alcántara’s (Cubs No. 3 prospect) eight for the I-Cubs.
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Ramírez now sits only one homer shy of his career single-season high of eight, achieved both last year with Double-A Knoxville and in 2023 with Myrtle Beach.
A member of Chicago’s 40-man roster as of last November, the 5-foot-9 infielder was known earlier in his career for generating a lot of contact, often at the expense of thump, and his size and high ground-ball rates helped lead to a 35 power-tool grade from MLB Pipeline on the 20-80 scouting scale this past offseason. He has been doing better at getting the ball off the grass in the opening weeks of 2026 with a ground-ball rate of 42.2 percent entering Wednesday, down from 49 percent last year in the Southern League, and his 48.4 percent hard-hit rate (i.e. percentage of balls in play hit with exit velocities above 95 mph) was second-best among Iowa sluggers behind only Alcántara’s 52.5 percent mark.
Notably, both of Ramírez's homers Wednesday were considered barrels with exit velocities and launch angles of 102.7 mph/32 degrees and 103.2/24, respectively.
COMPLETE CUBS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Ramírez’s offensive breakout and roster status could make him an intriguing option for a Cubs team trying to stay afloat in an NL Central with five teams boasting a winning percentage above .500 at this early stage. But it might require a position change or an injury to clear his lane to The Show.
Ramírez started at second base Wednesday for the seventh time this season, and he’s also made 12 starts at third for Iowa. Those positions are held down by franchise stalwart Nico Hoerner (who is in the midst of his own power jump) and free-agent addition Alex Bregman. If these power gains can hold into May, the Cubs may have to find a role for Ramírez somewhere, anywhere in Wrigleyville.