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Michael Busch Focused on Regaining Pull-Side Power in 2027
Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch said he is focused on being more aggressive at the plate to regain his pull-side power in 2027, per Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. Busch had a breakout year in 2025, hitting .261 with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, and 78 runs scored across 592 plate appearances. However, the 28-year-old's numbers regressed across the board in 2026, as he hit .242 with only 20 homers and 77 RBI across 710 plate appearances this past season. Busch's walk rate improved to a career-best 13.0%, but his pull rate fell from 46.8% to 40.0%. Perhaps due to letting the ball travel, Busch's barrel rate plummeted from 17.1% to 9.1%. If the lefty slugger can regain some of his missing power over the offseason, he would become a much more attractive option for fantasy managers in 2027.
Source: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney, Sahadev Sharma
Source: The Athletic - Patrick Mooney, Sahadev Sharma
Josiah Hartshorn Set For Promotion to Double-A
Chicago Cubs first base prospect Josiah Hartshorn was reportedly called up to Double-A Knoxville after the High-A South Bend Cubs' season ended in a playoff loss on Thursday. Hartshorn hit .297 in 300 at bats with South Bend this season and hit 18 homers and had 85 RBI with 12 stolen bases. Hartshorn is the top overall prospect in the Cubs' system and has a 55-grade hit tool with 55-grade power and 45-grade speed. Hartshorn had a very productive 2026 season and the switch hitter is only 19 years old. Look for him to continue his upward trajectory and while it might take a few more years for him to reach the big leagues, he is a very enticing target in dynasty formats. He showed off his power this season and was even a stolen base threat, making him a full five-category force for future fantasy leagues.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Josiah Hartshorn Homers Again, Dynasty Arrow Still Pointing Up
Chicago Cubs first base/outfield prospect Josiah Hartshorn parlayed his regular-season success into postseason success, registering an impressive performance in Game 1 of the High-A playoffs on Tuesday, albeit in a losing effort. The South Bend Cubs lost 8-3 to High-A Quad Cities, but Hartshorn went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the contest. The Cubs' top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 39) began the season at Single-A and was promoted to High-A after just 39 games, proceeding to excel at the next level. The 2025 sixth-round draft pick hit .297 with 18 home runs and 12 steals in 83 games, while his .965 OPS led the entire Midwest League. The switch-hitter boasts big power, and although his strikeout rate increased with the advancement to High-A, it was still just 21.4 percent, while he continued to display a keen eye, walking at a 14.6 percent rate. Look for the 19-year-old to potentially make a run at Triple-A at some point next season, and debut in 2028. With an arrow pointing up, managers in dynasty leagues, especially those looking for some future power production, should be looking to stash him away if still available.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Cubs Promote Infield Prospect BJ Murray on Monday
The Chicago Cubs promoted corner-infield prospect BJ Murray from Triple-A Iowa on Monday, per Milb Central. Murray, the Cubs' 19th-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline, will get his first taste of the Show after hitting .294/.395/.500 with an .895 OPS, 16 home runs, 68 RBI, 74 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 118 games across 516 plate appearances at Iowa this year. The 26-year-old switch-hitter stands at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds and was selected by Chicago in the 15th round in 2021 out of Florida Atlantic University. Murray is old for a prospect, but with his age comes an impressive combination of power upside and plate discipline from both sides of the plate. He has the potential to hit 20 homers at the next level over a full season, but he will most likely serve in a bench role down the stretch for the Cubbies with rosters expanding on Tuesday. In addition to his emerging power, Murray also has speed to boot and could eventually become a 20-20 player down the road in the majors if he can earn a starting spot at either third base or first base on the North Side.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
Josiah Hartshorn Continues Impressive Debut Season with 16th Long Ball
Chicago Cubs first base/outfield prospect Josiah Hartshorn turned in another stellar effort at High-A on Thursday evening. Facing Wisconsin, Hartshorn went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. This marked the young slugger's 16th long ball of his first professional campaign. Hartshorn was selected by the Cubs in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB Draft and is quickly rising up dynasty boards. He opened the season with Low-A, where he needed just 39 games to earn the call to High-A. With Low-A, Hartshorn held a .273/.424/.460 line with nine doubles and five home runs. Since moving up to South Bend, the 19-year-old has launched 11 long balls with a .913 OPS. Dynasty managers should take note of the Orange Lutheran HS product, as he could find himself near the top of the system's rankings by the start of the 2027 season.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jonathon Long Making Strong Case for MLB Debut
Chicago Cubs first baseman/outfield prospect Jonathon Long is having a strong season at Triple-A Iowa, but has been particularly hot as of late. The Cubs' sixth-ranked prospect is 17-for-36 (.472) over his last eight games, including a three-hit, four-hit, and even a five-hit performance, during which time he tallied five doubles, two home runs, and a 5:8 BB:K. In all, the former ninth-round draft pick is slashing .283/.364/.451 with 11 home runs and a pair of steals over 90 games. The right-handed hitter is registering average-to-better-than-average chase, walk, swinging-strike, strikeout, hard-hit, and barrel rates, along with 84th percentile average exit velocity (91.0 mph) at Iowa. The stats backed by results give the 22-year-old a solid case for an MLB call-up, which could happen in the coming weeks, so managers in deeper 12+ team leagues should put him on their stash radar.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Will Michael Busch Pick Things Up in the Second Half?
Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch has looked good so far in July, going 11-for-38 (.289) with a home run, three doubles, three RBI, and six runs scored in 10 games played and 44 plate appearances. But after a breakout 2025 campaign in which he hit .261/.343/.523 with an .866 OPS, 34 home runs, and 90 RBI in 155 regular-season games, he has underwhelmed for fantasy managers in the first half of 2026. Busch went into this week's All-Star break with a .239/.368/.395 slash line, a .763 OPS, 11 home runs, 49 RBI, 40 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 95 games across 424 plate appearances. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter's expected batting average of .231 and xwOBA of .345 (wOBA of .342) don't give his fantasy managers much hope for a rebound in the second half. The good news is that Busch's strikeout rate sits at a career-low 22.2%, and he's walking at a career-high rate of 14.9%. However, his quality of contact is lacking, ranking in the 48th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 63rd percentile in barrel rate while sitting in just the 53rd percentile in expected slugging. Busch is still an asset in OBP leagues, but fantasy managers shouldn't suddenly expect a power outburst in the second half.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Can Jonathon Long Debut in the Second Half?
Chicago Cubs first-base prospect Jonathon Long has seen his production soar over the last month at the Triple-A level and is emerging as a legitimate second-half call-up. Currently, Long is viewed as the No. 7 prospect in the Cubs system. Even though there may not be a clear opening on the MLB roster, if he continues this current trajectory, the team will have a hard time keeping him in the minor leagues down the stretch. Over his last 16 games at Iowa, Long has carried an elite .313/.400/.625 line with eight doubles, four home runs, and a 14:9 K:BB. During this stretch, Long posted a perfect 5-for-5 game on July 9, launching his 10th long ball of the season. While he had a slow start, Long has quickly found his footing at the top club. Managers in deeper 12+ team leagues should continue to closely monitor him, as a second-half call-up is now in play.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Will Jonathon Long Play a Role for the Cubs in the Second Half?
Chicago Cubs first-base prospect Jonathon Long has shown significant upside at the Triple-A level and could play a role as the team looks to clinch a postseason spot down the stretch. Long is currently ranked MLB.com's No. 7 overall prospect. He spent the entire 2025 season at the Triple-A level, where he posted a solid .305/.404/.479 line with 23 doubles, 20 home runs and a 116:79 K:BB. While he got off to a slower start at the beginning of the 2026 season, he has since rounded into form. Over his last 29 contests with the top club, the first baseman has posted an elite .302/.388/.629 line with a 1.017 OPS, 14 doubles and eight home runs. Even though Michael Busch remains the primary first baseman, Long could find a role as a potential late-season DH or an injury replacement. His upside and recent surge make him a worthy candidate to continue monitoring in deeper leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Matt Shaw Placed on Injured List with Back Tightness
Chicago Cubs utility player Matt Shaw (back) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with mid-back tightness, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. Shaw is expected to miss several weeks. In a corresponding move, top infield prospect Pedro Ramirez was promoted to the majors. Shaw owns a modest .242/.291/.400 slash line with three homers this year, but he had been struggling lately with a 0-for-14 skid. The 24-year-old has mostly come off the bench this season, playing a variety of positions. So far this year, he has played all three outfield spots, as well as first, second, and third base. The right-handed hitter was rostered in just 5% of fantasy leagues before his injury, and his roster share could decrease if managers aren't willing to wait for him to return from the IL.
Source: Jesse Rogers
Source: Jesse Rogers
