Feb 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kevin Alcantara against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cubs Rising Prospect Must Correct Glaring Flaw Before MLB Promotion

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs have one of the most highly rated minor league systems in baseball, overflowing with high-end talent.

Most of that talent is in the lineup, where the team has several positional players who are knocking on the door of a Major League promotion.

One of them, third baseman Matt Shaw, is showing major improvements. After a brutal start to his MLB career that led to a demotion, he has been recalled and is producing at an impressive clip.

He is the first of several high-end prospects who are going to be making an impact for the Cubs potentially in 2025 and long-term.

With Shaw on the verge of losing his prospect status, and pitcher Cade Horton on the path to doing the same in the coming weeks, attention will be turned to the next wave of youngsters in the system.

The new highest-ranked Cubs player, in the opinion of Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required), is outfielder Kevin Alcantara.

Cubs Prospect Kevin Alcantara Has One Glaring Flaw in His Game

He made his Big League debut on Sept. 25, 2024, going 1-for-10 in his limited action.

Acquired from the New York Yankees as part of the trade package in exchange for Anthony Rizzo in 2021, Alcantara has an incredible amount of upside with his combination of raw power, speed and athleticism, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 188 pounds.

However, for him to get called up to the Major Leagues again, there is one flaw in his game that needs to be addressed: handling breaking balls.

“It’s been a mediocre start for the 'Jaguar' in Triple A, as pitchers there are attacking him with sliders and sweepers, and he hasn’t made enough of an adjustment yet, whether they’re in or out of the zone…He should stay in Triple A until he sees real improvement in his contact rates and shows he can lay off sliders out of the zone,” Law wrote.

Despite the clear hole in his current game, Alcantara has still produced at a solid level with a .246/.330/.431 slash line, hitting seven home runs and 10 doubles with 31 RBI and six stolen bases.

His time in the Chicago outfield will come eventually. How soon that occurs will be determined by his ability to adjust to breaking balls and how well he handles them at the Triple-A level.