No Cubs prospect may have risen further in the eyes of the industry than the Cubs 2025 sixth-round pick Josiah Hartsthorn, but Owen Ayers is having the biggest breakout of any player in the system. And because of that, I’m told, he’s finally getting his long-awaited bump to Triple-A.
Owen Ayers Promoted to Triple-A Iowa
I’m sure you know all about Owen Ayers at this point (I just did a deep dive on him two days ago, after he threw out Jesus Made, the No. 1 overall prospect in the game, trying to steal 2B), but in case you missed his incredible first half, the Cubs catcher began the year out at High-A, where he played only 11 games with a 221 wRC+ (LOL) before getting the bump to the more age-appropriate Double-A Knoxville.
And in 76 games at that level, Ayers slashed a ridiculous .304/.417/.591 (167 wRC+) with a 15.1% walk rate and 24.8% strikeout rate.
And this feels like a good time to reiterate why his age/level combo isn’t really as much of a concern in his unique case when you understand the context:
Ayers was only drafted back in 2024. So last season was his first full professional year. In other words, he’s not some lifetime minor leaguer beating up on guys he’s seen before. Not only was last year his first full year, but it was also interrupted by a broken hand in July. So he’s extremely young on the experience track. For another, he’s a catcher, and catcher trajectories are ALWAYS much longer and slower than other position players. They also break out offensively later than other position players because of where their initial focus often lies (learning to catch like a big leaguer). And then finally, there’s the fact that he was a catching convert. He used to play some outfield and first base. So that explains his age/level balance even MORE.And, indeed, it’s much less of a concern at the Triple-A level, where the average age of true prospects is 23-25, and the average age overall is more like 26-28 (though that of course includes a lot of big league depth and/or minor league veterans).
In any case, Ayers is getting the bump, and that makes him just a phone call away from the big leagues. Speaking of which, I wouldn’t expect Ayers to come up this year, absent a really unfortunate rash of injuries, though I suppose it’s at least theoretically possible. I’d focus instead on his contributions next season, when he very realistically could enter as one half of the Cubs catching tandem along with Miguel Amaya.
Yes, Carson Kelly has been excellent in both of his seasons with the Cubs, but given that he’s broken out with the bat and is still only 31-years-old, he may very well leave for big bucks in free agency. And the fact that the Cubs could have Amaya, Ayers, and perhaps even Moises Ballesteros available to catch, plus whatever veteran depth they’ll surely bring in, well … that’s probably the path they’ll go.
Anyway, this is a very exciting step and development milestone for Ayers. I can’t wait to see if he can continue hitting the way he has. If he does finish the season strong at the highest level of the minors, he’s going to be a very significant asset for this organization. What an exciting year.
And as promised, he’s not alone in his promotion. According to my source, 26-year-old righty Jace Beck, who was just named the Southern League Pitcher of the Month for June, is getting the bump to Iowa, as well.
For the majority of his minor league career (all in the Mets’ system until this year), Beck has thrown out of the pen, but he’s recently transitioned into the rotation:
“I’ve been giving George [Thanopoulus], the pitching coach, a hard time about letting me start,” Beck said. “‘Just let me get one, let me get one, let’s see what happens.”
Pitching coach George Thanopoulus voiced a similar rhetoric coming into the season.
“Kind of started in Spring Training, we already knew that we wanted him to be a guy that could give us multiple innings a couple times a week,” Thanopoulus said.
With the precedent set for Beck by his coaches and himself, it was time to make the move.
And so far, so really … REALLY good: 5 starts, 23.0 IP, 1.17 ERA with 45(!) strikeouts, which equates to a 46.4% strikeout rate. Like, yo.
Jace Beck with another dominant outing:5.0 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 1 BB | 9 KSince stretching out as a starter, he’s posted a 1.17 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 23.0 innings (five starts).The hottest arm in the system. One to watch. pic.twitter.com/yTflT9nWFz
— Carson Wolf (@TheWrigleyWire) July 12, 2026Given the Cubs’ pitching needs at the big league level, Beck, 26, feels like someone who could maybe contribute out of the big league pen later this year, with an eye on starting in the future. That’s probably a little aggressive given his pedigree and long journey, but it’s hard to deny what he’s accomplished so far.
If he continues to find success at Triple-A, and the Cubs continue to need arms, there’s no reason to hold Beck back.
It’s been a great first half for the Cubs’s minor league system, and two of their biggest success stories are getting the bump to the highest level. Fun times.
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