The Cubs enter the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft with a pitching need that runs through the organization, but the final stretch of mock season still points toward a familiar front-office lean: the college bat.
That’s the tension here. On one hand, recent projections have the Cubs drifting back to the type of player they’ve often trusted and developed well.
On the other, there’s still a real path to a pitcher if the board breaks right. MLB Pipeline’s final mock draft has Chicago taking left-handed pitcher Cole Carlon out of Arizona State, and it also notes the Cubs have been looking at college arms like Mason Edwards and Cade Townsend.
Carlon brings a four-pitch mix and a fastball that sits in the upper 90s. That gives him a shot to remain in a starting rotation once he gets to the majors, though there’s also a clear chance his quickest route is in relief.
The bigger read on the Cubs is that they may have a small cluster of college pitchers they like. If one of them gets to their spot, especially Cameron Flukey, that could be the direction they go. If not, the safer bet is that they revert to the approach they’ve preferred.
Still, the strongest smoke seems to be around Louisville outfielder Zion Rose. He has been connected to the Cubs since May, and that kind of link is tough to dismiss this late in the process. The final call here is Rose in the first round, unless a pitcher slides into range and changes the picture.
Rose fits the profile the Cubs have targeted before. He carries a 50-grade hit tool and a 55 power grade, with bat-to-ball ability that could help him move quickly through the system. His likely long-term home is a corner outfield spot.
It’s a gamble to pass on pitching when that’s the clearest need, but it’s a gamble that could still make sense if the rest of the draft is built around arms.
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