Ramírez caps impressive camp with Spring Breakout -- and more hard-hit rockets

MESA, Ariz. -- It is one thing for a young player experiencing his first Major League camp to impress with his performance on the field. Pedro Ramírez took things a step further this spring, opening eyes among his veteran peers both in the clubhouse and during workouts.

“I’ve had multiple guys on the 26-man roster sing Pedro’s praises,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Pedro should be proud of that.”

On Saturday, Ramírez started at third base and batted third in the Cubs' Spring Breakout matchup against the Padres, which Chicago won, 7-5. The versatile infielder -- ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 9 prospect in Chicago's system -- was optioned to Double-A Knoxville earlier this spring, but not before making the most of his time on the big league side.

Ramírez was part of the 2021 international class for the North Siders -- he came from the same program in Venezuela as top Cubs prospect Moisés Ballesteros -- and has grown into an all-around player. He picked up a Minor League Gold Glove Award for his play at Knoxville in ‘25, switch hits, boasts plus speed and has strong bat-to-ball skills that showed up in a big way this spring.

“He’s produced, obviously, so that’s cool,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “What is he, 21? The game just looks very slow on all parts of the game for him. He’s been quick to pick up on baserunning feedback and incorporate that into his game. He doesn’t look rushed in the field at all. He’s not chasing. When the game feels fast or uncomfortable, all those things can kind of deteriorate fast.

“And he just looks like the game is never too fast for him, which is a great sign. Personality wise, I just feel like it looks like he just understood that this camp was an amazing opportunity. Every day, he’s soaking things up. He asks great questions. He’s quiet, but present with everything. And he plays with a lot of joy.”

In 15 Cactus League games for the Cubs this spring, Ramírez has hit .367 (11-for-30) with two home runs (including a grand slam), two doubles, 12 RBIs, five stolen bases, four walks and only one strikeout in 37 plate appearances. He has posted a .432 on-base percentage and .633 slugging percentage, showing off some power that has not yet materialized in the Minors.

Entering Saturday, Ramírez had two of the five hardest-hit balls of the spring for Cubs players -- led by a 113 mph single on Tuesday. In the first inning of Spring Breakout, he sent a pitch from Padres lefty Luis Gutierrez (No. 20 on the Padres’ Top 30) to deep center with an exit velocity of 109.5 mph. Padres center fielder Ryan Wideman (No. 9 on the Padres’ Top 30) snared it with an impressive leaping catch.

Ramírez worked a 10-pitch walk in his next trip to the plate against lefty Kruz Schoolcraft (No. 88 on Pipeline’s Top 100 list). His third plate appearance resulted in a 107.5 mph liner to center in the fifth, but Ramírez again watched it land in Wideman’s glove.

“He’s clearly shown,” Counsell said, “that he is strong enough to hit home runs and hits the ball hard enough to hit home runs. He’s a good hitter. He can learn and maybe kind of come into his power.”

Last season, Ramírez turned in a .280/.346/.386 slash line in 129 games at Double-A, along with eight homers, 21 doubles, four triples, 73 RBIs, 28 steals and 46 walks, compared to 85 strikeouts. It was a remarkably similar showing to '24, when he hit .284/.348/.381 with High-A South Bend.

"Pedro's underlying peripherals are very aggressive for his league and his age," Cubs director of player development Jason Kanzler told MLB.com’s Jim Callis. "You can make the argument that he's the best pure hitter in the system if you don't count Ballesteros."

The consistency and versatility convinced the Cubs to add Ramírez to the 40-man roster over the offseason.

“It’s very significant,” Ramírez said via team translator Fredy Quevedo Jr. “It means I’m a step away from what I spent years trying to work towards. I feel really, really happy. It means a lot just to be able to have that opportunity.”

Counsell said Ramírez has indeed put himself on the MLB radar in the event that the team needed reinforcements at some point this season.

“Absolutely, yes,” said the manager. “One thousand times, yes.”

Ramírez said he was happy to hear he had made such a strong impression while in Major League camp.

“I feel like it’s a result of the consistency,” Ramírez said. “I think I went about my work just in a way that people would definitely see and like. And I feel like even just being there in the presence of all the other guys definitely helped a lot as well.”