
Cubs Roll Upside: Townsend Leads a Pitching-Heavy Day 1 Draft
Chicago, guided by Jed Hoyer and Dan Kantrovitz, kicked off the 2026 draft prioritizing upside with five picks: RHP Cade Townsend (first round) a fast-moving, high-upside arm likely to reach the majors quickly; OF Caden Sorrell (round 2) a power-heavy bat with notable contact risk; 1B Myles Bailey (compensation round) huge power but hit/defense questions; RHP Carson Jasa (round 3) high upside but control concerns; and RHP Dylan Marionneaux (round 4) a high-spin pitcher with limited public scouting data. The club continues a trend of aggressive, upside-focused drafting to bolster pitching depth and speed up development for a competitive window.













