Cubs promote prospects Matt Shaw, James Triantos and Kevin Alcantara to Iowa Cubs

Three of the biggest prospects in the Chicago Cubs system are headed to the Iowa Cubs, creating what could be one of the biggest prospect packed rosters in all of Minor League Baseball.

Infielders Matt Shaw and James Triantos, along with outfielder Kevin Alcantara have been promoted from Double-A Tennessee and are expected to join the Iowa Cubs in Omaha on Tuesday, Jared Banner, the Cubs assistant general manager, told the Register on Sunday night.

The three are ranked among the Top 10 prospects in the organization by MLB Pipeline, which also lists them among the Top 100 in all of baseball.

Their additions are a huge boost to Iowa which could see interest in the team rapidly rise with their promotions from the Double-A Tennessee Smokies.

The 22-year-old Shaw was Chicago’s first round pick in last season’s draft. The infielder, who is ranked the second-best prospect in the organization and 29th-best in all of baseball, hit .279/.373/.468 with 11 doubles and 14 homers in 86 games with the Smokies.

Triantos, a 21-year-old, was a second-round pick by the Cubs in the 2021 draft and is ranked the fourth-best player in the Cubs system and 51st in all of baseball. In 89 games with the Smokies this season, he’s hit .300/.345/.437 with 18 doubles, five triples and seven home runs.

Alcantara, 22, was picked up by the Cubs in the Anthony Rizzo trade. Ranked the sixth-best prospect of the Cubs and the 63rd in all of baseball, he’s hit .271/.342/.409 with 13 doubles and nine homers in 76 games with Tennessee this season.

The addition of the three gives Iowa a prospect packed roster with seven of the organization’s Top 10 prospects with the team. Pitcher Cade Horton, the top-ranked prospect, is currently on the injured list. Iowa outfielder Owen Caissie (three), infielder Moises Ballesteros (five) and reliever Michael Arias (nine) are also on Iowa’s roster.

Iowa begins a six-game series at Omaha on Tuesday.