Cubs Have New Top Prospect In MLB’s Latest Update

For the first time this season, MLB Pipeline updated its top 100 prospects.

With former top prospect Konnor Griffin officially graduating from prospect status on Wednesday, MLB decided to go through and make some major changes to its top 100 prospect list. 

This updated list included some major changes to the Chicago Cubs prospect rankings. They have a new top prospect in their organization, the biggest faller in MLB’s latest update, and a first-time top 100 prospect. 

The biggest change in MLB Pipeline’s prospect update is Jaxon Wiggins’ massive fall. The 24-year-old was previously the Cubs’ top prospect following Moises Ballesteros’ graduation, but the young right-hander has now dropped to the No. 3 spot. 

Wiggins was the biggest faller in this recent update. He went from being ranked as the No. 43 overall prospect to dropping all the way down to No. 90. That 47-spot drop was the biggest among all prospects inside the top-100. 

Here’s what MLB Pipeline writer Sam Dykstra had to say about Wiggins’ massive drop: 

“Wiggins had Tommy John surgery in college and still hasn’t thrown more than 78 innings in a professional season; he’s currently on the IL with right elbow inflammation that brings more concern to his profile.”

Wiggins has been on the Minor League IL for about a month now as he continues to recover from right elbow inflammation. While he is ramping up toward a recovery, there are some concerns about his health at this point in his career. 

In his two starts at Triple-A this season, Wiggins has a 5.63 ERA and 10 strikeouts. He threw four innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts in his first start on March 29 and then gave up four runs on five hits across four innings in his next outing on April 4. 

With Wiggins dropping down from No. 1 to No. 3 in the Cubs’ farm system, Jefferson Rojas has taken over as the team’s new No. 1 prospect. Rojas also moved up 12 spots in this update and now sits No. 85 overall on MLB Pipeline. 

It has been an up-and-down start to the season for Rojas at Double-A. He is only batting .227 with four home runs, six doubles, 18 RBI, and one stolen base in his first 25 games with the Knoxville Smokies. The uptick in home runs, though, is an encouraging sign early on. 

The newest member of the top-100 rankings list is Pedro Ramirez. Ramirez was unranked prior to the 2026 season, but his strong Triple-A numbers this year have jolted him to the No. 2 spot in the Cubs' system. 

Ramirez has been the best-hitting Cubs prospect to begin the season. He’s slashing .301/.381/.551 with nine home runs, 10 doubles, 39 RBI, and 15 stolen bases across 39 games with the Iowa Cubs. He comes in ranked No. 87 overall by MLB Pipeline. 

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