The Cubs got a quick payoff from Ethan Conrad, and the first-round pick’s rise is already starting to shape the club’s thinking about the future.
Conrad has been on a tear since the calendar turned to August, and Chicago is moving him up to High-A South Bend after just 29 games in the minors. The Cubs took Conrad in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft, and after getting healthy, he’s beginning to look like the kind of bat the organization believed it was getting. He’s still not on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list, but that feels like a matter of time if this keeps up.
The promotion comes with a stat line that shows why the move was coming. Conrad hit .245 with 11 extra-base hits and 21 RBI for Myrtle Beach, and now he’ll get a tougher test to close out 2026.
If he handles South Bend well, there’s a real path for him to open 2027 at Double-A Knoxville. He’s not being lined up as an immediate answer for Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki, but his climb helps explain why the Cubs may be comfortable starting next season with Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez in the outfield.
That broader outfield picture also ties into Kane Kepley, who has kept rolling since his own jump to Double-A Knoxville. Kepley is hitting .303/.439/.636 with a 182 wRC+, and he hasn’t looked out of place at all.
He projects as a center fielder, which gives the Cubs some flexibility. He could become a trade chip this offseason, but he also looks like someone who could eventually carve out a major league role for Chicago.
The Cubs’ approach with Happ and Suzuki appears measured rather than aggressive. The word is they won’t rush to the top of the market this offseason for Suzuki, and they may wait to see how Happ’s market develops before seriously considering a reunion.
That leaves Chicago in an interesting spot. Letting both walk would weaken the lineup, and Shaw and Ramirez probably shouldn’t be treated as automatic full-time fixes.
Still, the organization’s depth in the outfield looks stronger than it once did, especially with Conrad and Josiah Hartshorn also turning in strong seasons.
There’s also a possible short-term opening in the infield. BJ Murray is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter, which puts him in a tricky spot, since the Cubs will need to decide whether to add him to the 40-man roster before then regardless of what happens with the CBA on December 1.
Dansby Swanson’s injury may have opened the door for Murray to get a look before the season ends. If Pedro Ramirez handles second base and Nico Hoerner shifts to shortstop, Murray’s switch-hitting bat could be useful off the bench in the final weeks, and he would also give the Cubs a backup option for Michael Busch at first base.
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Pedro Ramirez Looks Like A Cubs Fit With One Test Left
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The next step is where this gets intriguing for Chicago. With some veteran pieces moving toward free agency, the Cubs are looking at ways to stretch Ramirezs value and see whether he can grow into something bigger than a utility option, and that means a coming test in the outfield corners. His bat and gloves have earned attention; now the question is whether the club can trust him in a new part of the field enough to open a path to a regular role. [Read more 🡒]