Stransky the Sleeper? Cubs grab skilled catcher from Fresno State

Photo courtesy: Fresno State Athletics

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 3 hours ago

It may have taken 10 rounds for the Cubs to deviate from their plan a bit, but that wasn't the norm when you look at their 2025 draft haul. After going outfield and pitcher for their first nine selections, the Cubs went a different route with their 10th-round selection and used it to make Fresno State catcher Justin Stransky the next catcher to join their organization.

Finding a future catcher is something this organization has struggled to do for years, but with Miguel Amaya starting to show he is capable of being that, and Moises Ballesteros mashing in AAA, long-term catching help isn't that far away as the Cubs continue to replenish their entire system.

Another Senior-level college bat, Stransky, comes with a bevy of experience, which is something the Cubs have focused on heavily the past three drafts. At 6-1 and a mere 180 pounds, Stransky has room to grow into his body, but as a catcher, you don't want to get too big, which is something he is going to have to monitor.

Unlike most of the hitters they took in the earlier rounds, Stransky is a right-handed bat, as most catchers are, and is someone who has done a great job rounding into form. When you look at his collegiate career, you get a sense of what we mean, as he spent his first two seasons at Lower Columbia College in the JUCO ranks before making the leap to Division I, where he latched on with Fresno State.

Before joining the Bulldogs, Stransky spent two summers in the collegiate wooden bat leagues, where he saw one rough season out of the gates before bouncing back in season two. Granted, he only had one homer and 10 RBIs those two summers, but with 13 walks and 12 strikeouts, paired with a .262 combined average, the potential was there for him to emerge as a solid bat.

You started to see that potential with Fresno State, as he went on to play 100 games in two seasons with the Bulldogs, including a career best 60 this past season. In those games, Stransky combined to hit .310 with 15 homers and 67 RBIs, although most of his damage came this past season, where he hit a career high 12 homers and drove in 45.

He did that while hitting a career-best .316, taking 26 walks and striking out just 14 times. That alone is something that stands out about his game, as he not only knows how to put the ball in play but also has an extremely good eye at the plate, which is what you would expect from most collegiate catchers behind the plate.

Not only did Stransky show that he was more than capable of putting up some substantial offensive numbers, but his defensive skills are solid as well, which is a big reason why he found himself in the running for the Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Year award. He is arguably the best framer in his class, which comes in handy while his athleticism behind the plate allows him to do a lot of things most catchers can't do.

When it comes to his arm strength and accuracy, Stransky has a very good arm and has no issues getting the ball to second, but there are times when the accuracy isn't there, which is something he needs to work on. Stransky also runs extremely well for his position, and that alone is a lost art in today's game.

He finished with double digits in home runs and stolen bases in 2025 while making a ton of contact (8.4 percent K rate) and walking more than he struck out. That is another area the Cubs targeted throughout the draft as they were looking for hitters who understood the strike zone, which Stransky does.

Grade C+: This is one of those picks that will take several years to come to fruition, as most middle-late round picks do. From the outside looking in, it does appear that the Cubs got another solid player to close out the Bonus Pool portion of the draft and someone who they can plug and play as early as next season.

This is also a player who took a bit of time to come into his own and could still be a project, as no one knows where his ceiling is as a player quite yet. Either way, the Cubs felt they needed another catcher in their system as they are all about building from the ground up to create a long-term championship caliber roster.