With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

1. Matt Shaw (MLB No. 18), INF -- Chicago (MLB)
2. Cade Horton (MLB No. 50), RHP -- Iowa (Triple-A)
3. Owen Caissie (MLB No. 52), OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
4. Moises Ballesteros (MLB No. 67), C/1B -- Iowa (Triple-A)
5. James Triantos (MLB No. 71), 2B/OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
6. Kevin Alcántara (MLB No. 88), OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
7. Jefferson Rojas (MLB No. 95), SS/2B -- South Bend (High-A) -- injured list (hamstring)
8. Brandon Birdsell, RHP -- Iowa (Triple-A) -- injured list (lat strain)
9. Fernando Cruz, SS -- Extended spring training
10. Jaxon Wiggins, RHP -- South Bend (High-A)
11. Cristian Hernandez, SS/2B -- South Bend (High-A)
12. Juan Tomas, SS -- Dominican Republic complex
13. Jonathon Long, 1B/OF/3B -- Iowa (Triple-A)
14. Ronny Cruz, SS -- Extended spring training
15. Cole Mathis, 1B/3B -- Myrtle Beach (Single-A)
16. Jack Neely, RHP -- Iowa (Triple-A)
17. Angel Cepeda, INF -- Myrtle Beach (Single-A)
18. Pedro Ramirez, 3B/2B -- Knoxville (Double-A)
19. Juan Cabada, 3B/SS -- Dominican Republic complex
20. Wilfri De La Cruz, SS -- Dominican Republic complex
21. Brett Bateman, OF -- Knoxville (Double-A) -- injured list (hamate)
22. Ben Cowles, INF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
23. Brody McCullough, RHP -- Injured (forearm)
24. Yahil Melendez, SS/3B -- Extended spring training
25. Christian Franklin, OF -- Iowa (Triple-A)
26. Drew Gray, LHP -- Injured (shoulder)
27. Pablo Aliendo, C -- Knoxville (Double-A)
28. Ty Southisene, SS -- Extended spring training
29. Gage Workman, 3B/SS -- Chicago (MLB)
30. Eli Lovich, OF -- Extended spring training

Team to watch

Triple-A Iowa leads all Minor League clubs with five Top 100 Prospects: Horton, Caissie, Ballesteros, Triantos and Alcántara. First baseman Long slashed .283/.391/.461 with 17 homers while reaching Double-A in his first full pro season, then finished second in the Arizona Fall League with six blasts in 18 games. Righty reliever Neely has a virtually unhittable slider.

Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV

Iowa Cubs (Triple-A)
Knoxville Smokies (Double-A)
South Bend Cubs (High-A)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Single-A)

Players we could see in MLB in 2025

Horton, Caissie, Ballesteros, Triantos and Alcántara all should push for jobs in the Majors this summer, though the Cubs don't have many obvious openings unless injuries arise. Neely, who like Alcántara made a brief big league debut last year, will be in the bullpen mix.

New faces

The four players who received the highest non-first-round bonuses from the Cubs in the 2024 Draft -- corner infielder Mathis (second round), shortstops Ronny Cruz (third) and Southisene (fourth), outfielder Lovich (11th) -- will make their pro debuts this spring, but only Mathis is currently on an active roster. All three infielders who landed seven-figure bonuses from Chicago on the 2025 international market -- Tomas, Cabada, De La Cruz -- will break into pro ball in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in June.

On the shelf

Rojas (hamstring) and Bateman (right hamate surgery) are close to being ready to join High-A South Bend and Double-A Knoxville, respectively. Right-hander Birdsell, the Cubs' 2024 Minor League pitcher of the year, is on the 60-day injured list at Triple-A Iowa with a lat strain. Righty McCullough (forearm) and left-hander Gray (shoulder) are on the 60-day injured list.