The Cubs made three additions to their 40-man roster Tuesday. Teams had a deadline of 6 PM Central to add players to their 40-man roster who would otherwise be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, which is set to take place on December 10 at the MLB Winter Meetings. The Cubs selected left-handed pitcher Riley Martin, and infielders James Triantos and Pedro Ramírez.

Of the trio, Ramírez is the highest-ranked prospect. Per mlb.com, Ramirez ranked as the Cubs’ eighth-best prospect in their latest prospect rankings, and he was 10th on Baseball America’s ranking of them to begin the offseason. The 21-year-old signed with the Cubs as a teenager back in 2021 out of Venezuela, just like 2025 rookie Moisés Ballesteros. Much like Ballesteros, Ramírez has hit well at every level at which he has played so far.

In 2025, Ramirez played the entirety of the season with the Double-A Knoxville Smokies. Over 563 plate appearances, he slashed .280/.346/.386 with 8 home runs, hitting primarily in the top of the order. Ramírez played 68 games at third base and 59 at second base in 2025, although due to a lack of arm strength, he should provide more value at second. Ramírez doesn’t have a clear path to playing time the way the current roster is constructed, so he may be viewed best as a potential trade chip for this upcoming winter. Although he is only 21 and has not played above Double A, his hit tool might have been too attractive for an infield-needy team to pass up in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. If he does stay with the Cubs, his utility will be as a flexible backup at both the positions he played this season.

Triantos is the name on this list that most fans will recognize. The second-round pick from 2021 still has a bit of prospect sheen, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was viewed as the heir apparent to Nico Hoener. Some even thought his arrival could put Hoerner in more trade rumors. His stock was highest in 2022, when he ranked as the club’s third-best prospect behind only Brennen Davis and Christian Hernandez. He hit .302 with the Iowa Cubs in 2024, but took a step back in an injury-plagued 2025.

He batted .258/.315/.369 over 102 games with 7 home runs, and while he did tally 28 stolen bases, he was also thrown out 10 times. Triantos has never been a power hitter, and he is an average defender at best, so he needs to get on base more to provide value to a big-league club. Like Ramírez, Triantos doesn’t have a path to playing time with the Cubs in 2026, and with his prospect stock in decline, he probably won’t be the main piece in a significant trade. If he does end up hitting more with Iowa, the 22-year-old could end up getting a brief look at some point next season as a bench bat or injury replacement. 

Martin has the clearest path to playing time in 2026. If he was on the 40-man in 2025, he could have been considered for a September call-up. In fact, some fans called for that very thing, even though it would have meant adding him to the roster a couple months sooner. Martin was never a big-name prospect, and has been volatile during a five-year professional career, but he just put together his best full season exclusively at Triple-A Iowa. The southpaw had an ERA of 2.69 across 63 2/3 innings, striking out 80. He had one start, but worked mainly as a reliever who could handle longer outings. There’s no such thing as too much bullpen depth, and with aging lefties Caleb Thielbar and Drew Pomeranz hitting free agency, Martin should get a long look in spring training. The Cubs will add relief options this winter, but Martin being added to the roster shows there’s confidence in him. Even if he doesn’t break camp with the club, the 27-year-old should get his shot sometime next season.