Cubs Prospect Profile: Eli Lovich |
Every season, top prospects graduate from an organization's top prospect list and get traded to different organizations. When that happens, new names find their way onto a club's top-30 list, hoping to gain plenty of attention soon. The Cubs are no strangers to that, and this offseason has been a prime example of several former top-30 prospects moving on to new teams.
The most recent one was Michael Arias, who was listed as the Cubs' No.18 overall prospect before being designated for an assignment. The New York Yankees claimed Arias via trade and sent the Cubs some cash in return for his services. With Arias off the list of the top 30 players, someone else could move into that list. That is someone is one of the lesser-known prospects in the entire organization as OF Eli Lovich has now moved on to the Cubs' top 30 list, where he checks in at No. 29. Drafted in the 11th round (332nd overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft Lovich has yet to make his professional debut despite being stationed at Mesa since signing with the Cubs. Lovich was always seen as a strong hitter, but given his 6'4 185-pound frame as a high school senior, most felt he would be more of a projection project player who needed more time to develop. That alone is why he committed to the University of Arkansas. However, several teams, including the Cubs, tried to buy him off his commitment before he suited up for the Razorbacks. It may have taken 650K to get it done, equivalent to fourth-round money, but the Cubs made it happen, as he backed out of his college commitment to sign with them. That's a very steep price for an 11th-round pick with an unproven pedigree, but given his track record as a hitter, the overall upside is massive, making him a long-term play for the Cubs. He may be one of the youngest players in the Cubs 2024 draft class, but he has some of the best pitch recognition and has a quiet left-handed swing, making him look years beyond his experience. Given his size, he makes up for what he lacks in current strength in promising bat speed, as that alone could lead to more raw end power in the future. Bat speed or not, he has difficulty getting in front of velocity and struggles to pull pitches. The result was plenty of opposite-field ground ball and line drive contact, but that isn't always bad at this stage of his career. All the Cubs are asking him to do is learn to be a better hitter, which will come with time. The Cubs have all the time in the world, and Lovich is one of those prospects who could take some time to round into form. While his bat will ultimately be his calling card to get to the majors, his defensive ability is also something that the Cubs loved, as he is an athletic OF with solid to great speed. Some of that speed may go away once he puts on some strength, but his athleticism will be more than enough to keep him in the OF long-term. Given his current speed, he will get the opportunity to showcase that speed this summer as he is expected to open the season in CF for the ASL Cubs. However, most scouts project him to be more of a right fielder when all is said and done, and Lovich has the arm strength to back that up. Like many prep prospects, Lovich isn't just a hitter, but he is also known for his pitching, and had he gone to college, he very quickly could've continued that path. He showed tons of promise during his senior year as his fastball touched 88-89 MPH while offering a pair of offspeed pitches to give him a three-pitch mix. At this point, Lovich's days as a hitter are over, as the Cubs prefer him that way and plan to use him going forward. 2025 will be a massive year for Lovich, as this will be his first opportunity to produce at the professional level.
