Cubs Took Bold Risk With First-Round Pick Coming Off Shoulder Surgery

It has been a fantastic first half of the season for the Chicago Cubs, and the team is going to be focused on trying to accomplish big things in October.

After what was a couple of tough years of finishing over .500 but missing the playoffs, the Cubs got very aggressive during the winter to improve the team. So far, the decisions they made have mostly worked out well.

Thanks to the addition of Kyle Tucker, the offense for Chicago has emerged as one of the best in the league. Furthermore, Pete Crow-Armstrong has emerged as an NL MVP candidate as well, resulting in a lot of star power for the Cubs.

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While the stars in the outfield have rightfully received a lot of recognition, the unit's depth has also been impressive.

With Chicago experiencing considerable success, it may also be sustainable in the long term, thanks to a plethora of top prospects in the system.

During the 2025 MLB draft, the Cubs will be hoping that their first-round pick will become one of their next great prospects.

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Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the surprise pick by the Cubs in the first round of the MLB draft.

“He keeps his hands inside the ball well and showed increased power this year, although he’s still not that disciplined a hitter and might have more adjustments to make in the low minors than some of the Cubs’ other recent first-rounders.”

The selection of Ethan Conrad might have been a bit of a surprise for Chicago, with it feeling like a bit of a reach. The Cubs used the 17th pick on Conrad, but he was ranked as the 28th prospect according to MLB. However, the low rating was likely impacted by his missing a good amount of time due to shoulder surgery.

Prior to the injury, the results for the 21-year-old were impressive. In 21 games, he slashed .372/.495/.744 with seven home runs and 27 RBI.

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He comes in with a 50 overall grade, which is solid, and he certainly has the potential to become a good hitter for Chicago.

Even though the potential is there for Chicago, the pick does feel like a reach. The sample size of success with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons was small, and coming off surgery is always unpredictable.

The Cubs have done a really nice job of developing outfielders, as shown by the development of Crow-Armstrong, and Conrad will be joining a loaded system. With Chicago expected to be buyers at the deadline, opportunities could come up quick for Conrad if others are traded.

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