Cubs’ biggest steal in 2026 MLB Draft

Caden Sorrell stands out as the clearest and most defensible value selection in the Chicago Cubs’ 2026 draft class, four days after the conclusion of the MLB Draft. The former Texas A&M outfielder was selected No. 62 overall in the second round despite being widely regarded as late-first- or early-second-round talent. MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 33 in the class, while Baseball America placed him as high as No. 27. By selecting Sorrell at No. 62, the Cubs landed a player with first-round-caliber tools and a proven track record of SEC production at a significant discount, creating what is arguably the largest gap between projected draft position and actual selection among any player in their class.

Sorrell’s 2026 season left little ambiguity about the impact he can deliver. He posted a .341/.434/.743 line with 23 home runs, 20 doubles, 76 RBI, and 11 bases swiped. Across the previous two college seasons he launched 35 home runs in 82 games. The production rests on elite bat speed and raw power already capable of producing exit velocities north of 114 mph, paired with an above-average to plus arm and enough athleticism to handle center field effectively in 2026—he earned All-SEC defensive recognition with his glove. Long-term he projects as a right fielder, but the present defensive value and above-average speed give the Cubs multiple pathways. The profile is that of an everyday outfielder with 25-to-30-home-run power from the left side and solid secondary contributions.

What separates Sorrell from the other Cubs draft selections is the combination of his ceiling and the size of the draft-day slide. Cade Townsend, taken 23rd overall, arrived near or slightly above most rankings and fits the system perfectly, yet he was not a faller. Myles Bailey, selected 75th, brought the purest raw power in the class and came roughly on slot, but the first-base-only profile and an incomplete 2026 season limited by an ankle injury reduce the pure value case relative to a multi-tool outfielder.

Carson Jasa, taken with the club’s No. 98 pick, offers legitimate upside as a tall, high-spin arm who improved dramatically after Tommy John surgery. However, industry rankings were more mixed, and command concerns create a wider range of outcomes. Meanwhile, the Cubs’ later arms are pure developmental bets, lacking the proven production or ranking pedigree of their earlier picks. By contrast, Sorrell alone combines documented first-round tools and elite SEC production with a clear, quantifiable drop caused by known flaws rather than a collapse in performance.

Those flaws are real and explain the slide. Contact rates and swing decisions lag the rest of the package. The swing can get long and uphill. He struggles with velocity up and in and chases breaking balls, producing a strikeout rate around 23 percent in 2026. Prior hamstring and hand/hamate issues limited him to 26 games in 2025, and even a healthy 2026 did not fully erase approach questions for some clubs. The floor is a streaky corner bat whose contact issues suppress his batting average and on-base percentage. The reasonable comparisons—Adolis Garcia or a young Jo Adell—capture both the power upside and the volatility of the slugger.

Yet the organizational fit and the advanced indicators make the bet exceptional at pick 62. The slot value was approximately $1.49 million. Consensus boards had Sorrell 25 to 35 spots higher. Baseball America ranked him ahead of the Cubs’ actual first-rounder. The Cubs face a clear need for impact outfield bats with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki as pending free agents. Their player-development group has shown willingness to work with power-oriented hitters who bring swing-and-miss. Underlying isolated power sat north of .400 across the last two seasons, and exit velocities already reach elite thresholds. Modest improvement in contact quality and swing decisions would allow the power to play above a pure second-round projection.

There is industry agreement on his power, arm strength, and athleticism. The disagreement centers on how much the hit tool will ultimately limit him. That disagreement produced the slide. The Cubs absorbed the risk at a price that still leaves substantial margin for the development process to succeed. In a draft class otherwise defined by solid fits and developmental upside, Sorrell stands out as the selection with the largest gap between industry valuation and actual draft cost—and where the supporting production and tools remain highest. Ultimately the gap defines the biggest steal of the Cubs’ 2026 draft.