It has been a busy offseason for the South Bend Cubs as their home ballpark, Four Winds Field, has undergone some minor renovations and the menu has been upgraded for fans with an appetite for more than just High-A baseball. As is the case every season in Minor League Baseball (MiLB), the Cubs’ roster has quite a bit of turnover as well.
Not all 26 players will be highlighted in this article, but there are five names supporters should know before opening day at 7:05 p.m. ET Friday, April 3, against the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Kansas City Royals’ farm system. The Cubs are promising a spectacular fireworks show after the game to kick off the season right.
Tickets can be purchased at this link.
Kane Kepley, Outfielder
Born on Valentine’s Day in 2004, the 22-year-old is already the No. 6 prospect in the Chicago Cubs’ organization. Drafted with the 56th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of North Carolina, the 5-foot-8, 180-pound Kepley did well with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in Single-A last season.
He is a Salisbury, North Carolina, native.
Across 131 plate appearances, Kepley hit for a .299 average and a .914 OPS, compiling 29 hits, 25 walks, 16 stolen bases, 15 RBIs, three triples, two home runs and a double. He struck out just 15 times.
His scouting grade is a 50 out of 80. In a small sample size, Kepley is primarily a center fielder.
Owen Ayers, Catcher
Born June 7, 2001, in Sarasota, Florida, the 6-1, 185-pound backstop is the No. 11 prospect in the Chicago Cubs’ farm system. Picked out of Marshall University in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cubs, Ayers has struggled a bit at the plate in Single-A ball.
Across 83 games in two seasons, Ayers has a .228 batting average with a .722 OPS. He has 67 hits, 52 RBIs, 37 walks, 18 doubles, eight stolen bases, seven home runs and five triples with 77 strikeouts.
Behind the plate, Ayers has thrown out 47 runners attempting to steal while allowing 114 stolen bases. His scouting grade is a 45 out of 80.
Angel Cepeda, Infielder
Born Oct. 29, 2005, the 5-11, 170-pound 20-year-old is the youngest player on the South Bend Cubs’ opening day roster. From La Vega, Dominican Republic, Cepeda signed with the Cubs’ organization as a teenager for $1 million in 2023.
Now, he is the No. 25 prospect in the Cubs’ organization, classified primarily as a shortstop.
In 186 minor league games, Cepeda is batting .269 with a .765 OPS. He has compiled 183 hits, 88 RBIs, 85 walks, 53 stolen bases, 26 doubles, 13 triples and 12 home runs, although his 223 strikeouts are a concern.
His scouting grade is a 40 out of 80.
Kade Snell, Outfielder
Born July 29, 2002, the Dothan, Alabama, native played collegiately in his home state for the Crimson Tide. The 5-11, 220-pounder was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. He is now the No. 27 prospect in the Chicago Cubs’ organization.
In 112 plate appearances with South Bend last season, Snell batted .167 with a .487 OPS. He has 16 hits, 14 walks, 11 stolen bases, seven RBIs, three doubles and a triple with 19 strikeouts. Snell is still searching for his first minor league home run after hitting 16 in two seasons at Alabama.
The corner outfielder’s prospect grade is a 40 out of 80.
Daniel Wasinger, Manager
The 30-year-old Wasinger begins his first season as the Cubs’ manager after serving as their bench coach and first base coach in 2025. Wasinger led the catching unit last season, too, which should serve well in the development of Ayers and Armas.
Wasinger began his coaching career just two seasons ago as a Development Coach with the Chicago Cubs’ Single-A affiliate Myrtle Beach Pelicans. As a player, Wasinger was selected in the 31st round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Southern Louisiana University.
He played two seasons in the Diamondbacks’ farm system before briefly continuing his playing career in independent and Mexico-based leagues. Wasinger is a native of El Paso, Texas.
Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend Cubs headlined by new manager, 4 top prospects
Reporting by Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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