5 Cubs Prospects Primed for Promotions This Year
By Zoe Grossman
2B James Triantos - AA to AAA
Triantos (Cubs No. 4, MLB No. 53), a 2021 second-rounder out of high school in Virginia, could very well join his teammate Shaw in Iowa by the end of the season. Triantos is a career .288 hitter in MiLB and he's hitting .301 in his first full AA season, mostly from the 2-hole in the Smokies' lineup.
As his average suggests, Triantos stands out for his plate discipline and boasts a 10.4% strikeout rate, the best mark in AA's Southern League.
OF Kevin Alcantara - AA to AAA
Smokies center fielder Alcantara's "massive potential" is highlighted by a 6-foot-6 frame and blazing speed around the basepaths. The 22-year-old Dominican joined the Cubs organization from the Yankees in the Anthony Rizzo trade and is now the Cubs' No. 6 prospect (No. 65 overall).
Alcantara is slashing .273/.330/.408 with a .738 OPS this season and has ample power with seven home runs this season and 41 in his minor league career.
With the potential to become an elite five-tool player, Alcantara is another prospect on the uber-talented AA team who can earn himself a call-up by the end of the season.