Josiah Hartshorn has gone from low-key sixth-round pick to one of the biggest names in the Cubs’ farm system, and the buzz is only getting louder.
Baseball America’s new July update put the 19-year-old outfielder at No. 29 overall on its top-100 prospects list, while also slotting him as the top prospect in Chicago’s minor league system. For a player who didn’t even make his pro debut until this year, that’s a massive leap in a hurry.
Hartshorn, a switch-hitter, opened the season at Low-A Myrtle Beach and promptly wore out the competition. That performance earned him a fast promotion to South Bend in May, and he has kept right on mashing in the Midwest League. In 31 games since reaching High-A, he’s hit .304/.373/.607 with nine home runs, 35 RBI, 26 runs scored and four stolen bases.
He’s also drawn notice from MLB.com, where he cracked the top-100 a few weeks ago and has since climbed to No. 79.
MLB.com now lists him third among Cubs minor leaguers. Baseball America had him at No. 98 in early May, so the rise has been sharp across the board.
The early-season numbers at South Bend have been even louder. In 21 games there, Hartshorn has posted a .365/.427/.743 line with eight homers, 28 RBI and 21 runs scored. At one point, he ran off four home runs in five games and five home runs in seven games, the kind of stretch that makes scouts take notice fast.
That kind of surge changes the conversation around a prospect. The Cubs have also pushed their way from .500 to 49-38 over the past few weeks, which means the next month should bring plenty of trade chatter as they prepare to add pitching. Hartshorn will be part of that noise, even if no prospect is ever truly untouchable.
Still, he may be as close as anyone in the system right now.
His first full season in pro ball has already included a trip to the 2026 Futures Game, and the climb could keep going. A few weeks ago he was No. 100 on MLB.com’s list; now he’s at No.
- By the end of this year or by next spring, Hartshorn could very well be the consensus top prospect in the Cubs’ organization.
For a player who entered 2026 without much hype, that’s quite a turnaround.
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