Chicago Cubs Prospect Profile: James Triantos |
We are getting down to the nitty-gritty regarding the Chicago Cubs' top-30 prospect list, as we have officially entered the top five. This area of the Cubs organization stands clear above the rest and is a big reason they have one of the best farm systems in the game.
Not only are all five of their top five guys ranked in the top 100, but a few are also in the top 50, which shows you how the rest of MLB feels about these kids. There is a reason several of the Cubs' top guys are being discussed in ongoing trade conversations, including the Cubs' No. 5 prospect, James Triantos, who has heard his name mentioned in a potential trade with the Miami Marlins. Drafted in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Triantos drew a ton of Kris Bryant comparisons out of high school, but has instead turned himself into a completely different player. Initially expected to land in the 2022 draft, the Virginia prep star reclassified for 2021 after committing to the University of North Carolina. The Cubs ensured that wouldn't happen and gave him a 2.1 million dollar contract out of high school to divert him from his college commitment. You started to see his potential from the moment he arrived in the Cubs organization. He was stashed in Mesa, Arizona, that season to play for the ACL Cubs. He went on to put on quite a show in 25 games. He hit .327 in those games with six homers and 19 RBIs, displaying some of his high school power. That performance was all the Cubs needed to see as he earned a promotion for 2022 and landed with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans for his first full season. Despite seeing his average fall to .272, which was expected, Triantos still held his own against much better pitching and hit seven homers with 50 RBIs in 113 games. Triantos also added 20 stolen bases, another area of his game that he has started showing much more of. 2023 was not only the worst season of his career but also a season split into two parts. He missed the season's final month with a knee injury, which limited him to just 83 games with South Bend. On the average side, Triantos continued to see the ball well, hitting .287, but with four homers and 48 RBIs, the power numbers were slightly down. He did manage to take 35BB compared to 39K and swiped 16 bases as he was an on-base machine. His biggest issue that season was his defense, as he was a defensive liability most of the year. Knowing that the Cubs sent him to the AFL later that season, he won AFL MVP honors with a slash line of .417/.495/.679. Looking to build off his Fall League showing, Triantos had a career year in 2024 and is now knocking on the door on an MLB call-up. In 115 games between AA and AAA, Triantos gave the Cubs everything and more at the plate as he put together a combined .300 average. His seven homers tied his career high, but his 52 RBIs and 46 steals were a career-high as the stolen base numbers were something many didn't expect to see. At this point in his career, Triantos is primarily a contact hitter. He has the best bat-to-ball skills in the system and has the makings of an excellent average hitter in the MLB. He has a great eye at the plate, which helps lead to consistent hard contact, and he uses the entire field to his advantage. Despite the hard contact, Triantos has yet to display as much power as some expected, but power isn't going to be a massive part of his game. Still, consistent contact will eventually lead to more power, as he does have the potential to become a 15-homer guy who can also use his speed to swipe plenty of bases. The concern comes into play defensively. He came into the Cubs system as a third baseman but struggled with throwing accuracy and his overall range. That is why the Cubs moved him to second base in 2024, and that move worked in his favor, as he looked much more comfortable at second. The problem with that becomes the Matt Shaw argument. His being a better option at 2B than Triantos leaves tons of questions about whether or not Triantos will get his opportunity with the Cubs. Regardless, look for him to get a long look this spring, as he is one of the many Cubs prospects starting to knock on the MLB door.
