Pedro Ramirez is dominating Triple-A, showcasing unexpected power and speed. Can the Cubs find a spot for their hottest prospect?
No Chicago Cubs prospect has seen his stock rise more over the past two months than infielder Pedro Ramirez.
Ramirez entered the 2026 season as the Cubs’ No. 8 overall prospect on MLB Pipeline. He posted solid numbers at Double-A Knoxville last year (.280 batting average with eight homers and 28 stolen bases) and was starting to come into his own as an all-around contributor.
Now, Ramirez has taken his game to the next level. He continues to show his potential down at Triple-A Iowa and has been the best hitting prospect in the Cubs’ farm system to start the 2026 season.
The 22-year-old is slashing .323/.396/.626 with seven home runs, seven doubles, one triple, 29 RBI, 12 walks, and eight stolen bases across 25 games with the Iowa Cubs. His .323 batting average, seven home runs, 1.022 OPS, 29 RBI, and eight stolen bases all rank top-2 on the team.
It has been an unreal start for Ramirez to begin his Triple-A career. He has 14 hits over his last 10 games and just recently had a two-homer game on April 22 against Triple-A Louisville. One of those homers was a 412-foot grand slam that got out in a hurry.
Ramirez’s power surge has been a pleasant surprise early on. This is a hitter who has never launched more than eight home runs in any of his prior Minor League seasons. He now has seven home runs across 99 at-bats so far this season.
With a 7.9% barrel rate, a 47.4% hard-hit rate, a 91.6 mph average exit velocity, a 93.1% zone-contact rate, and a 23.8% pull air rate, Ramirez has the tools to make a big impact at the Major League level as soon as this year.
He’s quietly been the Cubs’ best prospect and has been on another level since the beginning of Spring Training. The Venezuelan-born hit .367 (11-for-30) with two homers, two doubles, 12 RBI, and five stolen bases across 15 games this spring.
The problem, though, is that there is nowhere for Ramirez to play in the big leagues. He is currently blocked in the infield by Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Alex Bregman, and the Cubs aren’t going to call him up to sit on the bench.
That means it could be quite some time until the team actually calls up Ramirez. There is no spot for him on the active roster right now, and the Cubs' No. 8 prospect still needs more consistent reps at the Triple-A level.
However, it’s encouraging that Ramirez is off to such a strong start at Triple-A. If he continues to hit the ball well, he could be called up by the Cubs later this season.