Brett Bateman just missed our ranking of the Cubs’ top 20 prospects this spring, but his performance in the Cactus League might already be proving us wrong. How close might he be to helping the parent club?
Painting the Picture
Bateman has already proven to be a steal. Since being drafted out of the University of Minnesota, the 2023 eighth-round pick has ascended into the Cubs’ top 30 prospects list, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Bateman currently has 233 minor-league contests under his belt across four different levels. His most recent stop was with the Double-A Knoxville Smokies, where he spent his last 28 games of 2024 and all of 2025.Â
2025
After wrapping up his 2024 campaign two steps from the big leagues, the rangy outfielder spent all of last season there. Don’t mistake his longer tenure for a flat trajectory, though. He hit .261 with a pair of long balls, 33 runs batted in and 19 stolen bags in 94 contests. He struck out 82 times against 61 walks, showing a keen eye and above-average bat-to-ball skills.Â
Strength: Speed
Even when he was viewed as a low-grade prospect in college, no one doubted Bateman’s burners. The former Golden Gopher has a 70 speed grade on the 20-80 scouting scale. Without that, he probably wouldn’t even have merited a look in pro ball. The speed translates far beyond the base paths, too: Bateman is regarded as a plus defender in center field.
However, he also hit .500 in 13 games in the Cape Cod League the summer before he was drafted, so there’s some feel for hitting here—amplified by his wheels. With a good eye at the plate, Bateman ranked third in walk rate (15%) and sixth in on-base percentage (.376) among qualified Double-A hitters.
Weakness: Lack of Slug
As you might guess, Bateman’s speed and contact skills were known strengths even when he was in school. He fell to the eighth round because those skills have to compensate for a galling absence of power. In 233 professional games, Bateman has only hit three home runs. That makes a player nearly unplayable, unless they do everything else well.
Bateman’s game is mainly about beating the ball into the ground and racing the baseball to first base. It’s the same blueprint major-league talent Chandler Simpson uses, but Simpson is a pretty limited player, and his speed is a grade better than Bateman’s. His lack of any power has kept a pretty low ceiling on him throughout his time in the Cubs organization. He’s hit five of his 14 batted balls this spring over 100 MPH (including three at 104+), but only one of them was hit at a positive launch angle. That has to change, if he’s to have any meaningful offensive impact in the majors.
When Will He Debut?
With plenty of experience at Double-A already, Bateman could spend this entire season at Triple-A. It’ll be his age-24 season, so there’s no reason why he can’t come up to the big-league team late in the season, if injuries open the door to it. He has to be added to the 40-man roster this November or be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft, so if he has a good season, the Cubs could want to get an early look at him against top-level pitchers.
Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are nearing the end of their contracts, and fellow top prospect Kevin Alcántara has struggled with an above-average strikeout rate. Could Bateman take his cup of coffee at the end of this year? Don’t rule it out. There’s still a chance he never plays in the majors at all, but if he stays healthy and can find a way to produce a bit more thump, he could carve out a solid career as a fourth outfielder—beginning as soon as this summer.
Interested in learning more about the Chicago Cubs’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!