When the Cubs organization was at its best, at least from a prospect side of things, they were filled with offensive threats that could put up massive numbers. Take the rebuilding years, for example, as the Cubs had Kyle Schwarber, Javy Baez, Jorge Soler, Anthony Rizzo, and Kris Bryant all in the Minors at one point.
All of them reached the majors at roughly the same time and helped the Cubs end a 108-year World Series drought. Fast forward to 2023, which some call the retooling years, and once again, you had a plethora of offensive threats, with Owen Caissie, Moises Ballesteros, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Matt Shaw, and Kevin Alcantara as the new faces in town.
Granted, most of these players have or are knocking on the major league door, but you can also make the case that Ballesteros and PCA are the only ones who have lived up to their potential thus far. There is a reason the Cubs’ farm system has fallen to No. 19: they don’t have the horses they once had in the organization.
That isn’t to say they don’t have talented players, but the days of the game-changing bat are long gone, at least for the time being. Knowing that, the organization has gone with a much different approach, prioritizing contact over power, and Brett Bateman is one of those players who fit that bill.
Taken in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB draft, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher has leadoff man written all over him, as he is the exact opposite of what the Cubs have grown to love in the past. One of the best contact hitters and fastest players in his class, Bateman hit .355 in his final season with Minnesota, all while holding a 9% strikeout rate.
Although not at the level he had in college, his ability to put the bat on the ball has been on full display with the Cubs, where he has emerged as one of the organization’s best contact hitters. Taking 2023 out of the mix, where he hit .283 across 32 games, Bateman has proven he not only can handle an everyday leadoff role but can handle any spot in the lineup.
After hitting .272 with one homer, 30 RBIs, and 30 steals in 2024, the pressure was on Bateman to deliver an even better showing in 2025 as he was progressing through the system. Granted, a lot of his numbers were down, including games played, which shouldn’t surprise you, as the Southern League continues to be one of the worst leagues to hit in.
Still, Bateman did a fantastic job, hitting .261 across 94 games, adding a career best two homers and 33 RBIs. Bateman saw his stolen base total plunge from 30 to 19. Still, with 61 walks and 82 strikeouts, he continued to display his excellent feel for the strike zone while also showing the ability to consistently put the ball in play, similar to a Nico Hoerner-type player from the left side.
What the Cubs love most about Bateman is not only his plate discipline, but he is a rare breed of hitter that seldom chases pitches outside the zone. When you throw him a strike, he makes sure to make contact, although the contact isn’t always what you would call hard contact. That is to be expected with a 5-10, 170-pound frame, but should he add a few more pounds to that frame, you could see the hard contact start to show.
As things stand, Bateman is a line-drive hitter who builds his offensive profile by hitting grounders and line drives into the gaps and letting his speed do the rest. Ideally, you would love for a bit of pop to come from those gap hits, but he knows what he does well and is a mastermind at capitalizing on those hits in the gaps.
One of the smartest players in the system when it comes to understanding what he is good at and adjusting off that, Bateman is going to be a pest for any team, as his ability to get on base and then use his speed to make things happen gives the opposition fits. Not to mention that speed helps him cover ground in the center, and you have another gold glove caliber defender to stockpile for the future.
Initially a two-way player before his elbow surgery his freshman year, Bateman is now a position-only player, still figuring things out. He has, however, shown off that arm strength already, recording 14 career outfield assists across his first two full seasons, which is a pleasant surprise when you look at his frame.
Along with the Hoerner comp, many are comparing him to Myles Straw, which alone bodes well as a valuable depth piece. However, his biggest backers think he’s a lesser version of Orioles 2023 first-rounder Enrique Bradfield Jr, and that is the ceiling the Cubs are hoping he can reach.
Written by: Dustin Riese
Full article can be found at: https://www.cubshq.com/cubs-baseball/story/cubs-betting-on-contact-and-speed-with-brett-bateman-24627