Chicago Cubs 2025 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: The Cubs have college players who are further along, but they are quite excited about the pure hitting chops of OF Josiah Hartshorn (6). He’s a switch-hitter who can produce on both sides of the plate and has the bat speed, pitch recognition and contact skills to be a solid or better pure hitter. 

Best Power Hitter: Wake Forest OF Ethan Conrad (1) didn’t have a chance to show his power potential much this spring after getting hurt early in the season, but he does have above-average power potential. He’s big and strong with a 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame and a short, direct swing that should allow him to tap into his power consistently in games. 

Fastest Runner: North Carolina OF Kane Kepley (2) is a plus runner who has great top-end speed and a quick first step. He pairs that natural speed with impressive instincts on the bases that allows him to steal bases for both volume and efficiency. Kepley stole at least 17 bags in each of his three college seasons and went 80-for-87 (92%) in his career. In his pro debut, he went 16-for-20 (80%) on the bases in just 28 games.

Best Defensive Player: Kepley’s (2) speed and instincts also translate to center field, where he was viewed as one of the best defenders in the class and a potential 70-grade glove. The Cubs are also quite high on the defensive chops that Conrad (1) brings to the table. He looks like he would be a corner outfielder but runs well enough to play center field at a high level. 

Best Fastball: Troy RHP Noah Edders (13) has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and has been up to 96 mph. He pitched as a starter during the spring but made his pro debut as a reliever, and his average fastball velocity gained nearly three ticks of velocity with that role change.  

Best Secondary Pitch: RHP Dominick Reid (3) has a devastating changeup that he attacks both righties and lefties with. It’s a mid-80s pitch that has solid depth and armside fading action. He used it 41% of the time this spring with Abilene Christian, and opposing batters hit just .174/.217/.262 against it with a 23.5% swinging strike rate. 

Best Pro Debut: Kepley (2) had the most impressive debut of any college player from the 2025 class. He hit .299/.481/.433 with more walks (25) than strikeouts (15) in 28 games with Low-A Myrtle Beach. His plate discipline might be his carrying offensive tool, and his exit velocities were more impressive than you might have expected for a 5-foot-8 center fielder, as well. 

Best Athlete: Conrad (1) has a special blend of power, speed and physicality. He earns Chase DeLauter comps for a reason, and has solid-or-better tools across the board. 

Most Intriguing Background: RHP Kaleb Wing (4) was a spring riser who leapt up draft boards after adding a significant amount of fastball velocity. If that didn’t happen, he could have gotten to campus at Loyola Marymount, where he might have played on both sides of the ball as a talented shortstop. 

Closest To The Majors: North Carolina RHP Jake Knapp (8) was one of the priority seniors in the 2025 class. He turned 25 years old just a few weeks after the draft and was one of the oldest players available but was also the ACC pitcher of the year after posting a 2.02 ERA over 15 starts. He should be pushed aggressively just to get to an age-appropriate level, but also has above-average control and a fastball up to 97 mph. 

Best 11+ Round Pick (Or UDFA): South Carolina RHP Eli Jerzembeck (11) has big upside and arm talent but has missed a significant amount of time in the last two years because of a Tommy John surgery and then a stress fracture in his right elbow. He has a fastball up to 96 mph and a high-spin breaking ball that’s been a knockout pitch going back to his high school days.