The Cubs went through a mini rebuild for 1.5 years, as they’re now ready to compete for a playoff spot in 2023, which will take exceeding expectations. Fans have been keeping a close eye on the minor league system for the past couple seasons and depending on how optimistic or pessimistic you are then you’ve had debates on how good or bad of a job the organization has done in developing its young talent. However, there is more evidence to support that the Cubs have in fact built a quality minor league system heading into the 2023 season.

The latest top-100 prospects list features four Cubs players, including right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski making his first appearance on one of these national lists. Fangraphs top-100 also features outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong getting his highest ranking so far, coming at No. 14.

Cubs in Fangraphs Top 100 Prospects List

OF Pete Crow-Armstrong: 14
OF Kevin Alcantara: 73
RHP Hayden Wesneski: 88
SS Cristian Hernandez: 100

Overall, the Cubs have had eight different players make at least one top-100 prospect list this offseason.

Here are the highest rankings of the four other Cubs minor leaguers that made a top-100 prospect list.

OF Brennen Davis: 50 (The Athletic: Keith Law)
LHP Jordan Wicks: 51 (ESPN: Kiley McDaniel)
OF Owen Caissie: 80 (Baseball Prospectus)
1B Matt Mervis: 88 (Baseball Prospectus)

So, while the main consensus among these lists is that PCA is the top player in the Cubs farm system, while Alcantara is a legit top-100 guy, but when you take a step back and see the number of Cubs prospects making these top rankings, you once again see why fans believe the system is healthy, filled with a lot of quality prospects.

As a matter of fact, with eight prospects making top-100 lists so far this offseason, the Cubs are tied with the Cleveland Guardians for the third most. The only teams with more are the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles.

Now, I’m not going to claim the Cubs shouldn’t be criticized for some of their moves and especially with a few of their draft picks there are arguments on their strategy the past couple years, but I do believe they have taken great strides in the right direction with the farm system. We keep saying that there is no star power in this group, but PCA and Kevin Alcantara can quickly change that narrative this season and that’s already beginning to happen with PCA’s latest ranking in the top-15 according to Fangraphs.

Of course, we have to see it on the field from some of the position players, but the great thing about the development with the young guys is that the Cubs are already seeing some of the work pay off. Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson, Brandon Hughes and Javier Assad were never seen as top prospects, but they’ve all contributed in the majors, all succeeding to various degrees since 2021.

Yes, you want to produce stars, but what we learned from the last time the Cubs had a good farm system is that you want to have depth as well in your minor league system, which the 2015-21 team desperately lacked.