The Chicago Cubs have moved Ethan Conrad one step closer to Wrigley’s future, promoting the 22-year-old outfield prospect to A-Ball with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans after a short stint in the Arizona Complex League.
Conrad, the Cubs’ first-round pick in 2025, finally got on the field for his pro debut on June 30 after a lower back issue slowed the start of his 2026 season. He spent about a week in the Complex League, where the left-handed hitter wasted little time shaking off the rust. In his first game, he picked up two hits, then finished his five-game run 7-for-17 with a home run and a double.
That quick burst was enough for Chicago to push him forward.
The promotion comes after a winding path since the Cubs took Conrad 17th overall. He played only 21 games at Wake Forest in 2025 before a season-ending shoulder injury cut his college year short, but Chicago still saw enough to make him one of the organization’s top young bats. He entered the 2026 season ranked No. 4 in the Cubs’ farm system by MLB Pipeline.
MLB.com described Conrad as a hitter built on a simple left-handed swing and a gap-to-gap approach, one that produces repeated hard contact. He can get too aggressive, but his hand-eye coordination helps cover for that, and he “almost never misses a fastball.” At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he has the strength and bat speed to reach at least average power, though the report notes he’ll need to lift more balls to his pull side to fully tap into it.
He also brings solid speed and a willingness to create action on the bases. Defensively, Conrad spent most of his sophomore season at first base before moving to right field on the Cape and center field at Wake Forest. The report calls him an average center fielder who probably fits better in right, with average arm strength.
The production has been there when he’s been on the field. In 97 plate appearances during his final college season, Conrad hit seven home runs and posted a .372/.495/.744 slash line. In the Cape Cod League in 2024, he slashed .385/.433/.486 across 29 games.
Chicago views him as a corner outfielder with the kind of bat that could move quickly, and the possibility is clear enough in the scouting report: Conrad could become a candidate to replace either Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki down the line.
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