20-16
20. Pete Crow-Armstrong - CHC
19. Isiah Kiner-Falefa - PIT
18. Michael Busch - CHC
17. Dansby Swanson - CHC
16. Alec Burleson - STL
Ever since being acquired in the Javier Baez trade, Pete Crow-Armstrong has been regarded as one of the Cubs' brightest young prospects. A tough season offensively puts him so far down in this ranking, although he plays exceptional defense and has the tools to break out soon. Isiah Kiner-Falefa performed much better for the Blue Jays last season before being traded to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. With that being said, Kiner-Falefa is more than serviceable at the plate, hitting over .260 for his career. Kiner-Falefa won a Gold Glove for the Rangers in 2020 and has the ability to play second base, third base, and shortstop.
En route to a 21-home run season last year, Michael Busch went on a tear in April, hitting home runs in five straight games. With only one full season under his belt, expect Busch to improve on his numbers in 2025. It may seem harsh to see Dansby Swanson ranked 17th, especially considering his great defense and baserunning. According to Baseball Savant, Swanson ranks in the top 97th percentile in Outs Above Average and ranked in the top 94th percentile in Baserunning Run Value. While Dansby Swanson will continue to play stellar defense in 2025, his mediocrity on offense ranks him below many emerging NL Central stars.
Alec Burleson topped Swanson in every major offensive category last year, excluding stolen bases. Swanson provided more Wins Above Replacement due to his fielding ability; however, Burleson has shown improvements in the outfield. With the departure of Paul Goldschmidt, Alec Burleson will have a great opportunity to improve on his impressive numbers last year, as he finished the season batting .269, with 78 runs batted in, and 21 home runs.