Wrigleyville Prospect Weekly: Brooks Caple’s Strike-Throwing Makeover, Jonathon Long Continues Great Season, Top Prospects Back in Action
By Reed Kubiak ·
Brooks Caple Keeps Missing Bats, and That Changes the Conversation
Brooks Caple (AA, RHP, Rank: 24) turned in the week that gets attention in a system looking for innings behind the big-league staff. He struck out six in 3.1 scoreless frames in his lone Double-A outing, allowing two hits and one walk, and the season line underneath it still reads well: 77 strikeouts, 21 walks, and a 3.15 ERA across 71.1 innings between South Bend and Knoxville. The more useful detail is the shape of the run. Caple has paired a 93-95 mph fastball with a slider that is getting to average, and his splitter remains the pitch that makes hitters chase when he gets ahead.
The story here is less about a single clean outing than about how his longer stretch at Double-A has started to look sustainable. Earlier in the year, Caple had more of the “throwing hard and surviving” profile, with the usual long-frame timing issues and enough traffic to keep him in the depth tier. Now he is showing a plan, working off the heater more cleanly, and getting enough separation on the breaking ball and splitter to miss bats in the zones that matter. For a pitcher ranked 775th overall and 24th on the Cubs’ board, that is a meaningful jump. Chicago does not need a pile of bullpen-only arms, it needs starters who can absorb real innings, and Caple is starting to look like a homegrown option with a chance to fit that lane.
Jonathon Long Keeps Forcing the Issue at Triple-A
Jonathon Long (AAA, 1B, Rank: 6) had another big week at Iowa, going 10-for-19 with a homer, two doubles, five RBIs, and two walks across four games. That leaves him at .526/.571/.789 for the week, which is absurd production even by the standards of a hot run, and it keeps his season line parked at .283/.364/.450 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs. He is still controlling the strike zone, still using the middle of the field, and still carrying the same contact-and-power mix that made him a productive Triple-A bat last season.
Long’s case is more complicated than the box score because the Cubs already have first base spoken for at the major-league level, but that does not make the performance any smaller. He has posted another run of strong contact quality, and the model of a low-strikeout corner bat with on-base value and playable power keeps holding up. If he is not going to carve out a direct path in Chicago, this is still a week that preserves trade value and keeps him in the upper-tier prospect mix. He entered the year as the Cubs’ No. 6 prospect, and the bat has done enough that he remains a clean offensive bet.
Top Prospect Injury Updates
Jaxon Wiggins (AAA, RHP, Rank: 3) impressed in his rehab starts, but his last two outings in AAA have painted a different picture. Over those two starts, he has pitched five innings and allowed eight earned runs, resulting in a 14.4 ERA in this stint. More concerning is his ratio of eight walks to seven strikeouts. Although his 25% strikeout rate is promising, the high number of walks indicates struggles with command and control. While this is worrisome, he might need time to regain his form post-injury. Monitoring his progress will be crucial, as resolving these issues could position him for a potential spot on the major league roster in September.
Ethan Conrad (A, OF, Rank: 2) finally had the chance to play for the Cubs after a strong start in rookie ball, leading to his call-up to Myrtle Beach. Unfortunately, it has been a struggle, as he currently holds a slash line of .103/.161/.207 in Single A. His difficulty in getting on base or making contact is concerning, but given the severity of his injuries, which kept him out for a year, he may need time to regain form. While his strikeout rate is high and his walk rate is low, it's important to note that he has only played seven games. There's still plenty of time for him to improve, and it will be interesting to track his progress by the end of the season to assess his development.
Quick Hits
Fernando Cruz (RK, SS, Rank: 49) concluded a strong season in the ACL league, hitting 11 home runs, which ranked second in the league. He also recorded a .874 OPS, although his 74 strikeouts in 54 games are a concern. With the ACL season now complete, there is speculation that his performance could earn him a promotion to Single A with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
Mason McGwire (A+, RHP, Rank: 30) handled a short start with four innings, one run allowed, and four strikeouts. The fastball-splitter mix is still the thing with him, and the workload suggests the Cubs are continuing to stretch him without asking for too much at once.
Will Sanders (AAA, RHP, Rank: 21) gave Iowa five innings of one-run ball with only two hits allowed. Sanders’ week did not bring a strikeout spike, but it kept his season moving in the right direction after a year that has already featured enough volatility.