The Cubs may have found a gem in the middle of the 2025 Draft.
Josiah Hartshorn went deep Tuesday for High-A South Bend -- his eighth home run of the year -- as part of an 8-4 win over Quad Cities at Modern Woodmen Park. The switch-hitting outfielder put together three hits and three RBIs as he continues to dominate his first season in professional baseball.
Chicago’s No. 8 prospect, Hartshorn wasted no time getting South Bend on the board, pounding his solo shot in the first inning from the left side of the plate. He drove it to right-center field in a flash of his 55-grade power.
The Cubs squandered the 1-0 lead until the fourth inning, when Hartshorn got a four-run rally started to retake the advantage. He lined a one-out single to right field, eventually scoring thanks to back-to-back doubles. South Bend hit three doubles in the inning, moving ahead, 5-4.
Hartshorn and the Cubs then broke things open in the ninth. He singled again to right field with the bases loaded, plating a pair to reach the final score of 8-4.
COMPLETE CUBS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Still just 19 years old, Hartshorn became the first high school position player from the 2025 Draft to reach High-A with his May 26 promotion. The bump in competition hasn’t fazed him at all. Hartshorn has a hit in all but one of his seven High-A games, slashing .400/.469/.800 at the level with three homers and a double. Overall, he’s boasting a .943 OPS in his Minors debut with more walks (39) than strikeouts (32).
The Cubs selected Hartshorn in the sixth round last summer, securing him with a $2 million signing bonus that was more than five times the slot value at his selection. It’s early, but Hartshorn is looking like a steal.