Cubs Promote Red-Hot Prospect After Incredible Start

Although the sample size is not large over just 11 games so far this year, the numbers speak for themselves. Ayers is slashing an absurd .372/.481/.860 with six home runs and 14 RBI, clearly showing that he is ready for the next level.

As someone who was not on the radar of many heading into last year, he has quickly become a top-ten prospect in the organization and a legitimate option to be the franchise's catcher of the future. Ayers is an older prospect and is now preparing to make the biggest leap of his career, but if he can handle Double-A pitching, real noise is going to start.

In all likelihood, Ayers is not going to reach Major League Baseball this season, but he is getting closer.

When Ayers could actually make Cubs debut

Currently the No. 10 prospect in an organization with some solid catcher depth, there is not a clear path for Ayers this year, barring injury or some sort of historic minor league performance. Next year, however, things get interesting.

Carson Kelly will be a free agent after the 2026 season, and while Moises Ballesteros could be a factor, Ayers is the top pure catching prospect for Chicago. There is a path to playing time for him in 2027 if he can find a way to keep developing and proving he's ready.

With his arrival in Knoxville, Ayers is someone fans clearly need to pay very close attention to over the coming months, because if he does indeed perform, it will not be long before he finds his way onto the big league roster and contributes at a high level by the end of next season.