Josiah Hartshorn’s rise through the Cubs system is not slowing down. After spending most of the season tearing up High-A, the 19-year-old is getting his third promotion of the year and will finish 2026 with Double-A Tennessee.
The move came after South Bend’s season ended Thursday with a 3-1 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits, but Hartshorn’s year was extended anyway. Chase Ford of MiLB Central reported that Chicago is sending him to the Tennessee Smokies for the final three regular-season games, followed by a divisional playoff series next week.
For a player in his first pro season after being picked 181st in the 2025 MLB Draft, that’s a remarkable climb. Hartshorn has already forced his way to Double-A, and the question now is how quickly the rest of the ladder could start to give way if the production keeps coming.
The numbers have been loud all year. Hartshorn heads to Tennessee with a .289/.411/.528 slash line and a .939 OPS over 122 games. His performance got even better after the jump to South Bend, where his OPS rose from .884 to .965.
The power has been impossible to miss. He’s hit 23 home runs overall, along with 26 doubles and five triples, and his 110 RBIs are the fourth-most in the minors. That kind of production from a player not even 20 years old yet is rare, and it’s a major reason he’s climbed so quickly on prospect lists.
The age factor makes the jump even more eye-catching. As Carson Wolf of The Wrigley Wire noted, only TWO 19-year-olds have been at the plate in Double-A ball this year. Greg Huss added another notable detail, saying Hartshorn is the first Cubs player drafted out of high school to reach Double-A in Year 1 since 1970.
Josiah Hartshorn is being called up to Double-A.According to my research, he is the first Cubs high school draftee to reach Double-A in his first full professional season since Dyain Frazier in 1970.
The Cubs still have no reason to rush the rest of the process. Hartshorn has plenty left to prove, and consistency will matter as much as the breakout itself. But Chicago also has to be thrilled with how much he has already done in one season.
For now, the story is simple: Hartshorn’s breakout isn’t over, and the next stop gives fans one more chance to watch how far this thing can keep going.
In Other News...
Cubs Just Made A Pitching Move That Changes Bullpen Questions
The Cubs pitching mix got a notable shuffle this week with Edward Cabrera coming off the 15-day injured list and joining the bullpen for the stretch run. Chicago is making the move with October in mind, giving the right-hander a shorter workload role after his return while trying to preserve enough depth for the final push.
Trent Thornton, meanwhile, goes on the 15-day injured list with a left ankle sprain, and his absence is expected to last until at least the end of the regular season. For a bullpen that has already had to manage moving parts, the timing matters, since Cabreras arrival helps answer one question even as Thorntons setback opens another. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Matt Shaw Decision That Could Reshape Their Offseason
The Cubs spent the early part of the offseason trying to balance an obvious need for pitching with the kind of roster flexibility that can keep a contender afloat, and Matt Shaw sits right in the middle of that calculation. Trade speculation around Shaw has picked up since Chicago signed Alex Bregman, but the front office still appears to view him as a possible starting outfielder next season, with the chance to step into a larger role if Seiya Suzuki or Ian Happ moves on in free agency.
Shaws appeal is easy to understand: he can fill different spots, he comes with team control, and he gives the Cubs a cost-controlled option on a roster that will likely need help elsewhere. That also makes him exactly the type of player other clubs would want in a trade, especially if Chicago decides the cleanest path to fixing the staff runs through moving a young bat. For now, though, the Cubs seem likely to weigh whether Shaws value is higher as part of the lineup or as currency for the pitching they still need. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Bullpen Problems Could Push Jed Hoyer Into Unfamiliar Territory
The Cubs spent the offseason trying to fortify the back of the bullpen, bringing in Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey and Hoby Milner, but the relief corps has still been a problem as injuries and uneven performance have piled up. For a team trying to stay relevant in the National League race, late-inning pitching remains one of the clearest soft spots, and it has become the kind of issue that can shape the entire winter plan if it does not improve.
Jed Hoyer has usually had to make bullpen fixes with shorter-term, lower-cost moves, but this situation could force Chicago into a different lane. San Diego left-hander Adrian Morejon has surfaced as a possible high-end target, a sign that the Cubs may need to think bigger if they want real stability in the late innings, even with the financial and strategic hurdles that come with shopping at that level. [Read more 🡒]