The Cubs’ farm system looks different now that the trade deadline has passed, and the biggest changes start with the names that are no longer there. Jefferson Rojas was the headliner among the departures, and with him went some of the familiarity that had anchored the organization’s prospect picture.
That turnover helped reshape MLB Pipeline’s latest view of the system. The Cubs are still stocked with talent, but the order has a new feel to it, especially after a deadline that made clear the front office was focused on helping the big-league club first.
At the top now sits Josiah Hartshorn, though his name came with a little extra uncertainty after he had to explain why he was removed from High-A South Bend’s game on Sunday. Owen Ayers is right behind him, and his rise to Triple-A Iowa has pushed him into the conversation for the Cubs’ catching plans next season.
The next two spots belong to the 2025 draft class, with Ethan Conrad at No. 3 and Kane Kepley at No. 4. After that, the rankings tilt toward pitching, with Jaxon Wiggins, Kaleb Wing and Brooks Caple forming a run of arms before the list finishes with infielders James Triantos and Juan Tomas.
A couple of other important notes sit underneath the rankings. The 2026 draft class is not part of this list, and Cade Townsend is expected to land near the top once MLB Pipeline updates again. The system also still leans heavily toward position players, which could give the Cubs more flexibility in offseason trade talks.
The deadline shuffle also opened the door for an unlikely debut. With prospects moving around the system, Ed Howard’s comeback path reached Triple-A Iowa, and that helped create room for undrafted free agent Dom Krupinski to jump straight to Double-A Knoxville after only two games in Class-A.
Krupinski made sure his first night with the Smokies stood out. In his Double-A debut, he homered twice.
The Cubs signed Dom Krupinski as an undrafted free agent last month.
Because Knoxville needed an extra bat, he was assigned there after spending just 2 games in Single-A and skipping over High-A entirely.
Tonight, in his first Double-A game, he homered twice.
- Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) August 6, 2026
Not every development has been as encouraging. Jaxon Wiggins, who is now healthy again, has not delivered the kind of step forward the Cubs were hoping to see. One of the quiet benefits of the deadline haul is that Chicago no longer has to rely on Wiggins as a possible September boost for the pitching staff.
His 2026 season has been interrupted by injury, and even after returning to Triple-A Iowa, the results have not been sharp. His strikeout rate is down almost 6% from where it stood at the end of the 2025 season, and he’s carrying a 7.76 ERA across a little more than 31 innings. He has also worked over 20% of the hitters he has faced with the I-Cubs this year.
At this point, the warning signs are hard to ignore. Between the injury history and the numbers since his return, it’s fair to wonder whether the shine on Wiggins’ prospect stock is beginning to fade.
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