Next wave of Cubs prospects set to shine in Arizona Fall League

Ed Howard was once a can't miss prospect (Kim Klement - USA Today Sports)

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · Saturday, October 04 2025

While most, if not all, of you are still soaking in the glory of the Chicago Cubs Wild Card win, there is more baseball to be played, but one without as much meaning. Starting Monday, the 2025 Arizona Fall League officially kicks off for what should be another highly competitive season.

For those unfamiliar with the Arizona Fall League, it's a continuation of the Minor League season, where each organization sends several of its top prospects to the desert to fine-tune their craft. The Cubs are no strangers to sending talent down there, as Moises Ballesteros and Jonathon Long had breakout performances last Fall, which translated into their 2025 success.

Before that, you had the likes of Nelson Velazquez, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara, just to name a few, as the Cubs prospects have shown up in the ACL for several. This season is going to have a different feel for the Cubs, as they will be sending seven or eight players to Mesa, but none of them would be considered top prospects up to this point.

That could all change heading into next season, but for now, the Cubs are hoping to see what these players can do, as this is a massive step in their overall development. Unlike seasons in the past where the Cubs would focus on the hitting more than the pitching, they have chosen to go with more pitchers this season as that is the area they want to add as much depth to as possible.

When it comes to the hitters, Cole Mathis is arguably the biggest name of the group heading to Mesa, as he is the one guy to watch for to have a breakout season. A former second-round pick, Mathis spent the duration of 2025 recovering from Tommy John before finally making some appearances late in the season.

Across 27 games, Mathis struggled to put the bat on the ball, hitting just .215 for the season, but with three homers and 14 RBIs, his power potential showed up in a big way, which is the main reason why the Cubs drafted him. Mathis may be the prospect with the highest upside in the group, but Ed Howard is the most well-known prospect heading to Mesa, as this could be his last stand with the organization.

A former first-round pick from what seems like forever ago, Howard has been the definition of a bust since turning pro, as a series of injuries and lack of production have prevented him from doing much. This season was no different for the Chicago Native, as the 23-year-old hit just .108 across 21 games, offering little to no production. He is now hitting just .215 since turning pro and has six homers and 87 RBIs in 281 career games.

Along with the two infielders taking their chances in the field, the Cubs are also bringing two catchers with them, as Owen Ayers and Logan Poteet will get some extended work. Seeing Ayers in the AFL isn't a surprise, as the 24-year-old is coming off a great season in which he hit .238 across 67 games, belting six homers and driving in 47.

Poteet, on the other hand, is a surprise, especially considering he was drafted this past summer. Even then, the 21-year-old still managed to get 17 professional at-bats this season, hitting .176 and connecting for one home run, despite his extremely high season when considering his catching ability.

Looking at the pitchers the Cubs have decided to bring to Mesa, none of them jump off the page at you as true game-changing arms, but there are a few who have the potential to be something special in the coming seasons. JP Wheat is one of those guys, as the big 6-5 righty is looking to turn his struggles around.

Wheat made seven appearances this season, five coming as starts, as he finished the season with a 2-2 record and a 4.09 ERA. That brings him to 2-4 with a 5.47 ERA across 19 games, as the struggles are real. A big reason for his struggles is the lack of command, as Wheat has more walks (58) than Strikeouts (54). He needs to get that sorted out to have any success, but he has the arm to do so.

Luis Martinez-Gomez has the highest upside of all the Cubs pitchers heading to Mesa, and according to experts, is one of the players expected to have a breakout showing. The 22-year-old right-hander is coming off a dominating showing in 2025, posting a 4-2 record and a 1.46 ERA across 55 innings this season. He walked 34 and struck out 68 as the AFL could be huge for his future development.

Thomas Mangus, Matthew Peters, and Koen Moreno round out the field of Cubs players heading to Mesa as all three are looking to take the next steps in their development. Moreno is the longest-tenured player in this group, drafted in the fifth round of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft. Mangus appeared in nine games this season, throwing 14 innings and posting a 4-0 mark with a 2.51 ERA.

Command was an issue for Magnus with eight walks and 11 strikeouts, but he has an extremely high upside as well. Peters is another player who has been around for a few years, having been drafted by the Cubs in 2022. Of all the prospects heading to Mesa, he comes with the most significant question mark, having posted an ERA north of 7.00 this season.

Get ready to see many of these players this Fall, with the possibility of other players being added to the roster, as baseball never stops for the Cubs organization.