Matt Shaw, Kevin Alcántara and James Triantos all took what they hope will be the final step in their development before a chance to play for the Chicago Cubs, as all three started in their Triple-A debuts with the Iowa Cubs.
Iowa traveled to Omaha to face the Storm Chasers to begin a week-long series on Tuesday. In advance of the series, it was reported that the trio would all make the jump from Double-A Tennessee as a group.
Shaw, the Cubs’ No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, played third base and batted cleanup. Alcántara, the No. 5 prospect, batted sixth and played center field. Triantos, the No. 7 prospect, batted second and played second base.
Shaw went 1-for-4 at the plate with a strikeout. Like Triantos, he represented the Cubs’ system at the MLB Futures Game last month during All-Star weekend.
Triantos went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Alcantara went 1-for-3 and scored a run while he struck out twice.
Shaw was the Cubs’ first-round pick last year and projects as a candidate to be a future third baseman for Chicago. He’s been working on making that conversion this season and showed promise at spring training.
With Tennessee he slashed .279/.373/.468/.841 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI in 86 games.
Alcántara was signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic and started his minor-league career with the Cubs in 2019 with their Dominican Summer League team.
The 22-year-old slashed .271/.342/.409/.751 with nine home runs and 39 RBI with Tennessee.
Triantos was the Cubs’ second-round pick in 2021. With Tennessee he slashed .300/.345/.437/.782 with seven home runs and 40 RBI.
Two other Top 10 prospects were in the lineup with the trio on Tuesday night. Outfielder Owen Caissie batted fifth and went 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Moises Ballesteros — who is the Cubs’ top catching prospect — batted second and went 0-for-4 as the designated hitter.
Ballesteros was also at the MLB Futures Game, but he only participated in the MLB Futures Skills Challenge, which came after the game.
Iowa won the game, 4-2, and it was the grizzled veteran that led the way. Outfielder Trayce Thompson, a 33-year-old who has 369 MLB games under his belt, went 2-for-3 and hit a home run. He also scored two runs.
The Cubs have a highly-regarded farm system, led by pitcher Cade Horton, their first-round pick in 2022. He is currently on the Iowa Cubs’ 7-day injured list.