2024 Cubs Minor League Report Card: Catchers |
Now that the Minor League Season has officially ended, it's the perfect time to debut our new series of Minor League Report cards. Like the MLB, these are going to be the season-ending grades for many of the Cubs prospects, as the fans are going to be highly invested in them this offseason.
However, unlike the MLB level, there are far too many players to cover each of them individually, so instead, we will take the top three or top four from each position and gauge how their season went. That all starts with the catcher position, which suddenly has not only depth but also some talented players who could impact this club soon.
You can't talk about the Cubs system without talking about Moises Ballesteros, who is not only coming off a great season but is also one of the fastest-rising prospects in the entire Minor Leagues. Signed as an International Free Agent in 2021, Ballesteros is still only 20 years old, but you would never guess that based on his performance. After starting the season in AA and emerging as the team's best hitter for the first half of the season, Ballesteros was promoted to Iowa, where he not only continued to hit but also started to see more regular reps at Catcher after playing a lot of DH in Tennessee. For the season, Ballesteros emerged as one of the Cubs' best hitters, finishing the season with a .289 average, 19 homers, and 78 RBIs. His 45 walks to 93 strikeouts was an issue considering his excellent plate discipline, but that was to be expected the higher he got in the Cubs system. Next for him is to improve behind the dish, as his offense is miles ahead of his defense. Season grade A: Had it not been for Matt Shaw's season, Ballesteros would've been the best hitter in the Cubs system. Still, he had a great season, one that not many people saw coming. He started to tap into his power while still displaying his elite bat-to-ball skills. He will garner plenty of attention next season especially when you look at the Cubs current catching situation.
Before Ballesteros' season, Pablo Aliendo generated the most talk, as many felt he had the opportunity to be the Cubs' future backstop. Not nearly the same offensive player as Ballesteros, Aliendo is a much better catcher behind the plate, and his bat continues to be a work in progress. You started to see the bat come around this season, as he put together his best overall offensive season despite missing time with an injury. Aliendo was held under 200 at-bats this season, but with 197 at-bats, it is still a large enough sample size to get a glimpse at what he can do. From a batting average side of things, Aliendo became more consistent as he finished the season with a .249 average. His ten homers resulted in a slight increase in his overall power, while the 33 RBIs were directly related to a loaded offense that often emptied the bases before he had a chance to bat. Season Grade B: All in all, it was a solid season for Aliendo, who will now enter 2025 as the primary backstop in AA. Given Ballesteros's uncertain future not only behind the plate but also regarding his time in Iowa, Aliendo is one of those guys who could see an early-season jump if he gets off to a hot start. Look for him to play winter ball this season to get more reps under his belt.
One of the biggest mysteries in the Cubs system is whether or not Ethan Hearn will live up to his potential. Taken in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of high school, Hearn was not only the best high school catching prospect but was also one of the best overall hitters. Since then, Hearn has been a shell of himself. He has had difficulty adjusting to the professional level and has fallen from a top-20 organizational prospect to being nothing more than another player. The 2024 season, however, was his best season to date, and at the very least, it does give the Cubs a bit of confidence that maybe he is starting to put it together. While his batting average continues to be low at .231, he is just a career hitter at .194, so you can see the massive strides he made this season. His ten homers showed his overall power potential, while his 34 RBIs were also a career-high as he finally got consistent production for a longer period. Season Grade C - Defensively speaking, Hearn is arguably the best defensive Catcher in the Cubs system, and it isn't even close. His ability to not only call a game but also neutralize the opposition's running game is a big reason why he got the bulk of the starts for South Bend. Offensively, this is another question, as there are far too many holes in his game to be considered an everyday option at any point. The rest: While the upper-level Minor Leagues had their primary catchers they would go with, the lower-level minor leagues were a different story, as they often used three different catchers per week. South Bend was one of the teams that did that, as Ethan Hearn got most of the starts earlier in the season before losing time behind the dish later. A big reason for that was the arrival of Ariel Armas, the Cubs' fifth-round draft pick this summer. Still raw regarding his professional skills, Armas did show plenty of potential this season and has a shot at being the top Catcher in South Bend next season. Owen Ayers, like Armas, was a 2024 draft pick for the Cubs and started to settle into a more regular role once August rolled around. Although he didn't total enough stats to earn a season grade, you have to like what you saw from him, as he will get much more playing time next year.Moises Ballesteros
Pablo Aliendo
Ethan Hearn
