After vaulting through the farm system with a dominant 25-homer campaign, this switch-hitting catcher now eyes the Opening Day roster following a rapid three-level ascent to Triple-A.
The two biggest risers in the Chicago Cubs Minor League system this year were Josiah Hartshorn and Owen Ayers.
Both prospects are now the top prospects in the Cubs’ farm system on most sites. MLB Pipeline has Hartshorn as the team's No. 1 prospect, and Ayers as the team’s No. 2 prospect at the end of the 2026 campaign. Their rise has definitely been fun to watch this season.
But which player has been the Cubs’ Minor League Player of the Year?
Baseball America recently named the top prospects in each team’s farm system at the conclusion of the Minor League regular season. Their selection for the top prospect in the Cubs’ system this year went to Ayers.
Ayers no doubt had a breakthrough campaign in the minors this season. After hitting .238 with six home runs, 14 doubles, 47 RBI, and seven stolen bases across 65 games at Single-A Myrtle Beach last year, the switch-hitting catcher finally saw results at the plate in 2026.
He started off the year slashing .372/.481/.860 with six home runs, three doubles, 14 RBI, and three stolen bases in his first 11 games with the South Bend Cubs. Those 11 games were enough for him to be promoted to Double-A Knoxville in mid-to-late April.
With the Knoxville Smokies, Ayers continued to swing a hot bat. He slashed .304/.417/.591 with 16 home runs, 16 doubles, one triple, 48 RBI, and three stolen bases across 65 games at Double-A. The 25-year-old had a 1.008 OPS in those contests and immediately crushed Double-A pitching.
His strong offensive numbers with the Smokies then earned him another promotion to Triple-A Iowa in mid-July. While his numbers with the Iowa Cubs weren’t as strong, Ayers started to get into a groove at the plate toward the end of the season. He had a hit in six of his final nine games of the regular season.
All in all, Ayers put together a tremendous all-around campaign. He slashed a combined .289/.403/.526 with 25 home runs, 29 doubles, 82 RBI, and 13 stolen bases while playing solid defense behind the plate. The Cubs’ No. 2 prospect threw out 39 runners throughout the season, which included throwing out 17 runners at the Triple-A level.
Following this dominant 2026 Minor League season, Ayers will have an opportunity to make the Cubs’ Opening Day roster as one of the team’s two catchers. Much of that will depend on whether the front office brings back impending free agent catcher Carson Kelly.
Either way, Ayers is certainly close to making his MLB debut.
