This year’s MLB Draft comes up beginning Sunday, July 14. Teams will draft 20 players and hope for the best.
Josh will have a preview of this year’s Draft prospects coming up later this week, but I thought I’d take this time to look at the last 10 years of Cubs drafts, some of which were done with Theo Epstein in charge, the most recent ones under Jed Hoyer.
Let’s look at the players drafted who did well, or still might, or brought good players in trade, each of the last 10 years. Each year’s heading links to that year’s Cubs draft.
This draft, of course, was highlighted by the selection of Kyle Schwarber, chosen fourth overall. Schwarber, of course, helped lead the Cubs to the 2016 World Series title before Hoyer foolishly let him go for nothing.
Schwarber produced 5.8 bWAR for the Cubs and has been about the same, WAR-wise, for the Phillies on an annual basis.
As for the rest of that draft, only two other players chosen by the Cubs that year have played for the team. One of them is Justin Steele, and I’m sure you’ll agree he was worth a fifth-round pick. James Norwood also pitched briefly in the majors for the Cubs.
Dylan Cease was also chosen by the Cubs in ‘14 and, well, we’ve been over that trade many times and it’s not my purpose to re-hash it here.
The only other player chosen by the Cubs in 2014 who has played in MLB at all is Jason Vosler.
Ian Happ, of course, highlights the 2015 Cubs draft list, having produced 16.2 bWAR for the team and counting. That’s a big success story.
Had the Cubs lost their final game of 2014 instead of winning it, they’d have been tied with the Red Sox in draft position and, because they had a worse record than Boston in 2013, would have picked higher by the rules of the time.
Most likely, the Cubs would have chosen Andrew Benintendi instead of Happ, as he was on the Cubs’ radar and Boston did indeed pick him.
Other 2015 picks who played in MLB for the Cubs are P.J. Higgins (12th round), Scott Effross (15th round) and Tyler Payne (30th round).
The one the Cubs appear to have whiffed on was third-round pick Bryan Hudson, who didn’t do much in the Cubs system and was let go as a six-year free agent after 2022. He’s currently a solid relief piece for the Brewers.
The Cubs lost their top two picks this year as compensation for the signings of Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward. Pretty sure you’ll agree that was worth it.
So their top pick was in the third round, Thomas Hatch. Hatch was eventually traded to the Blue Jays for David Phelps. Phelps didn’t do much for the Cubs, but Hatch hasn’t done much in MLB either, 39 games for the Blue Jays and Pirates from 2020-23.
The Cubs took Tyson Miller in the fourth round in ‘16, let him go and now have him back, seems like he could become a useful reliever.
Two other players taken by the Cubs in 2016 eventually played for the team: Michael Rucker (11th round) and Trent Giambrone (25th round).
The Cubs had two first-round picks this year, both near the end of the round, and missed on both, Brendon Little and Alex Lange. Several good MLB players were taken later that round or in the next: Drew Rasmussen, Brent Rooker, Griffin Canning and Daulton Varsho.
Little pitched briefly for the Cubs in 2022 and is now in the Blue Jays pen. Lange was included in the deal that brought Nick Castellanos to the Cubs in 2019.
Others drafted in 2017 who played for the Cubs: Cory Abbott, Keegan Thompson, Erich Uelmen, Luis Vázquez, Jared Young and Brandon Hughes.
Nico Hoerner was the Cubs’ No. 1 pick in ‘18, and he was in the big leagues by September 2019 due to the Cubs losing a whole bunch of infielders to injury. He’s at 12.6 bWAR and counting, has a Gold Glove, and seems like one of the Cubs’ better first picks in recent years.
The only other player drafted by the Cubs in 2018 who has played for the team is Ethan Roberts.
Brennen Davis was the Cubs’ second-round pick in ‘18 and you know his story, injury after injury that’s prevented him from making his MLB debut. Still hoping for the best for him.
Oh, man, did the Cubs make a mistake here. Ryan Jensen was the No. 1 pick (27th overall) and he washed out, he’s currently pitching for Triple-A St. Paul in the Twins organization.
In selecting Jensen, the Cubs passed on Michael Busch — who they now have anyway — as well as Anthony Volpe and Gunnar Henderson. Yikes.
Hunter Bigge and Porter Hodge were both selected in 2019 and both have shown promise to become very good MLB relievers. Fingers crossed.
DJ Herz was selected in the eighth round and was included in the deal that brought Jeimer Candelario to the Cubs from the Nationals last summer. Despite one fantastic game, the jury’s still out on Herz, who has a 5.17 ERA after seven MLB starts.
The 2019 draft was the last of 40 rounds. The pandemic in 2020 reduced that year’s selections to five rounds, and it was a real guessing game, as many high schools and colleges had to curtail their seasons.
Ed Howard was the No. 1 pick, and he’s had a rough go of it due to injuries, some serious. Of late, Howard has begun to hit better at High-A South Bend. He’s still just 22, so perhaps he’ll have a MLB future of some kind.
Luke Little was the Cubs’ fourth-round pick and he has had some MLB success and could be a key part of the Cubs pen going forward.
Post-COVID, the Draft was reduced to 20 rounds, where it stands today. The Cubs selected Jordan Wicks with their first pick and he made MLB last year, and has had some success. Currently on the IL, hopefully Wicks will return and be a solid part of the Cubs rotation going forward.
No one else from the Cubs’ 2021 draft has played in MLB yet. Of the others, guys who seem to have a good shot at making it are James Triantos, Christian Franklin, Riley Martin and Frankie Scalzo.
Now we’re getting a little too close to the present day to make any judgments. No one from this Cubs draft has played in the majors yet. The team has high hopes for first-round pick Cade Horton, who has split time between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa this year. They traded second-round pick Jackson Ferris to the Dodgers in the Michael Busch deal. (If Ferris makes the Dodgers in upcoming seasons, they will have Ferris… and Buehler.)
Of the other 2022 draft picks, Haydn McGeary seems to have the most upside.
Matt Shaw was said to have enough polish to play in MLB right after he was drafted, but he’s had his ups and downs in the system. Chosen to play in this year’s Futures Game, Shaw is likely being promoted to Iowa after the All-Star break. He could make his Cubs debut in 2025.
Second-round pick Jaxon Wiggins is pitching for Low-A Myrtle Beach. Of the others, Zyhir Hope was included in the Busch trade.
And now, we await 2024. Who will be added to the Cubs organization next week?