10 Chicago Cubs prospects who could play for the Iowa Cubs in 2023
Iowa Cubs president/general manager Sam Bernabe has seen many prized prospects come through Des Moines to play for the Triple-A team on their way to Chicago.
While many highly-coveted young players made their way through the Cubs' minor league system, usually one or two big names would be on Bernabe’s roster at a given time.
Bernabe expects some of Chicago's biggest prospects to spend some time with the Iowa Cubs in 2023. It could be a list so long and so full of talent, that it may not match up with any other team Bernabe's seen in his career. The 2023 season will be his 40th.
“The list is pretty long of who they’re talking about and what their abilities are or what they’ve proven up to now in their young years,” Bernabe said. “That’s what gets me excited is it’s not just one or two in that category. There’s five, six, seven and maybe even as many as 10 that I think will be with us.”
More:Remember former Chicago Cubs prospect Eric Patterson? He's returning to the Iowa Cubs, as a coach
The Iowa Cubs officially kick off the season on March 31 at Principal Park. Here’s a look at 10 prospects, along with some other names, you could see suit up for Iowa in 2023.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, outfielder, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 1
The skinny: Crow-Armstrong was the biggest pickup in the Javier Baez trade with the New York Mets. While he’s still young (20) and still relatively inexperienced (just 107 career minor league games), he is on the fast track to Iowa. Crow-Armstrong won a MiLB Gold Glove last year, showed massive improvements with the bat and could start the season in Double-A. If he rakes there, look for him to show up to Iowa sometime in the season, possibly after the All-Star break.
Brennen Davis, outfielder, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 2
The skinny: Davis entered last season as the biggest prospect in the system after a breakout 2021 season. But a back injury led to a slow start in 2022 and surgery to repair it forced him to miss most of the season. Davis, who is now healthy and has nothing holding him back, will likely start a second-straight season in Des Moines.
Jordan Wicks, pitcher, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 5
The skinny: Wicks was a first-round pick by the Cubs in 2021 and has quickly moved up the system. During his first two seasons, he racked up 121 strikeouts in 94.2 innings of work. The lefty finished last season in Double-A and will likely start this season there. But if he pitches well, it's a matter of when, not if he'll be in Iowa this season.
More:5 offseason updates about Chicago Cubs prospects who could play in Iowa this summer
Ben Brown, pitcher, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 7
The skinny: The 23-year-old hard-throwing right-hander was picked up in the David Robertson trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. He turned in his best season as a pro in 2022 by compiling a 3.38 ERA with 149 strikeouts over 104 innings at two different levels. He ended last season in Double-A and will very likely be a part of Iowa’s rotation at some point this season.
Alexander Canario, outfielder, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 9
The skinny: Canario came to the Cubs as part of the Kris Bryant trade with the San Francisco Giants. During his first full season in the organization in 2022, Canario slugged .556 with a .899 OPS and 37 homers. But Canario is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery on an ankle and shoulder he injured while playing Winter Ball. Canario will likely get some time in Des Moines after he works his way through the rehab process.
Hayden Wesneski, pitcher, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 12
The skinny: Wesneski was picked up from the New York Yankees as part of the Scott Effross deal and promptly turned into one of the top arms in the organization. After a four-game stint with Iowa, he was promoted to the big leagues for the first time and dazzled by going 3-2 with a 2.18 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 33 innings. Wesneski has a shot to win a spot in Chicago's rotation out of spring training. If he doesn’t, he’ll be back in Iowa, but probably not for long.
DJ Herz, pitcher, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 13
The skinny: The 22-year-old lefty was taken by the Cubs in the eighth round of the 2019 draft. His swing-and-miss stuff has made him one of the most intriguing arms in the system, racking up 280 strikeouts in 187.1 innings over his first three seasons. Herz finished last season in Double-A and the Cubs will likely want to see what he can do at the Triple-A level at some point this season.
Caleb Kilian, pitcher, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 14
The skinny: Kilian was the organization’s top pitching prospect entering the 2022 season and even made his big league debut. But the season was full of inconsistencies for Kilian, who couldn’t find the strike zone at times and labored through outings. But he still has plenty of potential and is still highly thought of throughout the organization. He’ll likely begin the season in Iowa’s rotation with something to prove.
Miguel Amaya, catcher, MLB Pipeline team ranking: 16
The skinny: Amaya was once one of the biggest prospects in the organization and even played in back-to-back All-Star Futures Games in 2018 and 2019. But his development hit a significant snag when the 2020 MiLB season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then Tommy John surgery limited him to just 28 games in 2022. But Amaya, once looked at as the future catcher of the Cubs, was expected to be good to go by the time the team started spring training. After plenty of experience in Double-A, he could make the jump to Triple-A to begin 2023.
Matt Mervis, first baseman, MLB Pipeline team raking: 21
The skinny: Mervis was one of the biggest surprise stories in baseball last season. He went unselected in the shortened 2020 draft and struggled during his first season of pro ball in 2021. But he had a breakout season in 2022, playing at three different levels while walloping 36 home runs, including 15 with Iowa. But the Cubs may want to wait and see what they have with Mervis after signing Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini and Cody Bellinger (who can also play first) in the offseason. Barring a big spring training, Mervis will likely start the season back in Iowa.
More:How Matt Mervis became the biggest surprise in Chicago Cubs' farm system
Some other names to keep an eye on:
Ryan Jensen: Jensen was a first-round pick by the Cubs in 2019 and spent all of last season in Double-A. That means he could start this season in Iowa’s rotation.
Ben Leeper: Leeper has been one of the most interesting bullpen arms in the minors the last two seasons as he’s struck out 110 hitters in just 81 innings. He’ll likely begin this year in Iowa’s bullpen.
Brailyn Marquez: Marquez was once a prized pitching prospect for the Cubs and even made his big league debut in 2020, but he hasn’t pitched since then due to injuries. He was non-tendered by the Cubs, but brought back on a minor league deal and could make a move to the bullpen.
Cam Sanders: Sanders, the son of former big league veteran Scott Sanders, is a hard-throwing right-hander who can touch triple digits with his fastball. He started last season in the rotation but moved to the bullpen where he could find a permeant home.
Darius Hill: Hill was a huge surprise story last season and turned into one of the best hitters in all of Minor League Baseball. He slashed .314/.359/.453 in 133 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Which big Chicago Cubs prospects could play for the Iowa Cubs in 2023?
