Kevin Alcántara has become one of the more popular prospects for the Chicago Cubs. Despite currently being the team’s fifth-ranked prospect, his name has arguably been brought up the most among anyone in the Cubs’ minor league system. This has become well warranted, as he is performing well in Iowa. However, his rise to fame has forced Chicago into a tough dilemma.
Kevin Alcántara’s Sudden Rise
Alcántara has been a strong player for the Cubs for a while now. Last season in Iowa, he had a .266 batting average and 17 homers. This also led to him appearing at the Major League level for 10 games last season. Although this was not his first trip to this level, he played three games in 2024. His presence was not very notable, but he did play across all three outfield positions.
This season has been his breakout year. In just 37 games, he has a .245 batting average and 14 home runs. Those 14 homers currently are the most in Triple-A. The size and athleticism he has are two of his biggest strengths. It had just taken a while for him to get his power clicking, and this season, he finally was able to. His May has been especially good, as he is off to a scorching start to the month. This stretch led to him moving up in the prospect rankings and establishing him as a real threat in Iowa.
Kevin Alcántara’s hot May continues 😤
The Cubs No. 6 prospect tallies his fifth homer in 10 games this month 💣
He entered the night slashing .314/.415/.686 with a 1.101 OPS in May.
(🎥@IowaCubs) pic.twitter.com/CZR0NBRlxs
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 14, 2026
The Dilemma
While Alcántara seems like he would be a great addition to the Major League roster, the Cubs unfortunately do not have the space for him. Veterans Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki have had strong seasons so far. Additionally, Pete Crow-Armstrong was given a long-term extension in the offseason. Those three outfield spots are locked up for the year, which means Alcántara will not be able to make an impact this season.
Matt Shaw has also been playing in the outfield this season. The infield was locked up when the Cubs gave Nico Hoerner an extension. Then, the Cubs made a shocking signing when they brought in Alex Bregman. This forced Shaw into a super utility role, which includes seeing time in the outfield. If he begins to grow comfortable in the outfield, then he may be added to the Cubs’ plans at the position. This dilemma leads to two main pathways for Alcántara.
Path 1: Promote Him to a Starter Next Season
This may be the simplest and most likely path for Alcántara. After this season, Happ and Suzuki are both set to be free agents. If Chicago wishes to save money and test out Alcántara’s potential, then this would be a simple route. Having him combined with Shaw and another veteran could form a strong group of corner outfielders. This would put a lot of pressure on him to adapt to the better competition, but he does have the potential to do that.
However, there is one clear issue with this path. Both of those veterans are having strong years. Ian Happ has never had an elite batting average, but it has been serviceable. He also offers elite defense and has solid power. Seiya Suzuki is arguably one of the Cubs’ best power bats, and this season he has seen his batting average rise to .272. This new combination has made him one of the best hitters on the team. Making it a hard decision to move on from at least one of these players.
Path 2: Trade Him To Boost the Pitching Staff
If the Cubs did want to keep their outfield the same as it is this season, then the next path that makes the most sense is to trade him. Chicago has given up a lot of prospects in trades over the past year, like this past offseason’s trade with the Marlins to acquire Edward Cabrera. They could look to swap Alcántara to boost their system. They could also look at trying to get a pitcher option this year, to either boost the starting rotation or the bullpen, which has struggled with injuries this year.
Similar to the first path, there is one glaring issue with trading him. He does not carry a large amount of trade value. The primary target could be a team looking to build a platoon in the outfield and is in search of a bat that has some serious power. If you were to do that, though, then it is unlikely you would get back a player capable of making a big difference. A prospect for a prospect swap could work, but again, that does not help them much right now. If the Cubs wanted to make a big splash, then they likely would need to include more in any trade offer.
Last Word on the Kevin Alcántara Dilemma
The situation with Alcántara will be one to follow throughout the regular season. It very well could carry on to the offseason as the Cubs wait to decide on their future. Promoting Alcántara to being a starter next season could be a bold risk that has a lot of potential. Trading him would make sense to try to improve the pitching staff, but it would be hard to get back something worth his talent. Ultimately, the Cubs may soon have to decide whether Alcántara is part of their long-term future or their best opportunity to improve the roster elsewhere.
Main Photo Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
