Catcher Owen Ayers A Switch-Hitting Prospect For The Chicago Cubs

Owen Ayers looked like a good hitter in the 2025 Arizona Fall League. Until batting .379 in 20 games there, the 24-year-old switch hitter was not ranked among the Chicago Cubs’ top prospects.

Two hot stretches in a 2025 season marred by a broken right hand have made him an interesting player to watch. Before getting hurt in late July, he had 18 RBI in 18 games earlier that month for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Class A Carolina League. He about matched that this fall with 17 runs and 16 RBI in his 20 AFL games.

Ayers won the AFL Breakout Player Award. He drew the most walks in the league (22) and struck out only 10 times in 88 plate appearances while hitting 5 doubles and 3 home runs. His three-run home run gave the Mesa Solar Sox a playoff win.

“It’s nice to have a lot of success and everything, but at the end of the day, I realized what I do here doesn’t matter for next year,” Ayers told Jesse Borek of MLB.com. “If I do good or do bad, really it’s the preparation in the offseason, what I do in spring training that’s going to determine how well I’m able to do next year.

“I’m just trying to stay even, not get too high, too low, and just continue to put the work in because I know I have a lot of work left to do. Even though I’ve had some success, it doesn’t end.”

Ayers is eager to work on his game behind the plate. He split time between catcher and first base at Marshall University for two seasons. In 108 games in 2023-24 for the Thundering Herd, he hit .287 with 15 homers, 79 runs and 62 RBI.

That was enough for the Cubs to pick him in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft and sign him for $50,000.

Don’t Discount 19th-rounders

Players picked that late in the draft are considered long shots to make it. Some of those who did get to the majors did very well, such as:

• 3B Ron Cey, 1966, Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-time all-star, 316 career homers
• 2B Jerry Remy, 1970, Washington Senators, averaged .275, 21 steals for 10 seasons
• RHP Pat Zachry, 1970, Cincinnati Reds, 1976 NL Rookie of Year, one all-star game, 10 MLB seasons
• INF Hubie Brooks, 1974, Montreal Expos, 2-time all-star, 149 homers, .269 over 15 seasons
• OF Kevin McReynolds, 1978, Milwaukee Brewers. 211 homers, .267 over 12 seasons

• 1B Don Mattingly, 1979, New York Yankees, 1985 AL MVP, nine gold gloves, 6-time all-star, .307, 222 homers, 1.099 RBI, 14 seasons
• RHP Bret Saberhagen, 1982, Kansas City Royals, AL Cy Young winner in 1985 and 1989, 3-time all-star
• INF Randy Velarde, 1985, Chicago White Sox, .276 over 16 seasons
• C Chris Hoiles, 1986, Detroit Tigers, averaged 20 homers, .267 over final 7 seasons of 10 in MLB
• INF Placido Polanco, 1994, St. Louis Cardinals, 3 gold gloves, 2-time all-star, hit .297 over 16 seasons
• LHP Mark Hendrickson, 1996, Texas Rangers, drafted six times (1992-97), 58-74 record over 10 MLB seasons; played 114 games for four NBA teams, 1996-01
• INF David Eckstein, 1997, Boston Red Sox, 2-time all-star, .280. 123 steals, 10 seasons
• OF Michael Bourn, 2000, Houston Astros, 2-time all-star, two gold gloves, .266, 341 steals, 11 seasons

• LHP Josh Hader, 2012, Baltimore Orioles, 6-time all-star, 227 saves, 2.24 ERA, 829 strikeouts, 282 hits allowed in 512 innings, 9 seasons

Ayers was picked No. 572 overall. The best MLB career by anybody selected at that spot was by first baseman Mike Hargrove, drafted in 1972 by the Rangers and the 1974 AL Rookie of the Year. He hit over .300 six times and .290 overall through 1985. Then he became a manager:

• Cleveland (1991-99): 721-591 record
• Baltimore (2000-03): 275-372
• Seattle (2005-07): 192-210

Ayers’ Future With Chicago Cubs

Three consecutive AFL Breakout Player winners made the majors the next season:

Ayers most likely will not make it four in a row. The Cubs have veterans Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya along with young Moises Ballesteros, their No. 2 ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Ayers probably will go to High-A or Double-A ball in 2026

Ayers’ best trait as a catcher is a strong throwing arm. He has thrown out 27% of runners trying to steal since turning pro.

“I’m just always looking for someone to run and someone to throw out,” said Ayers. “That’s just what makes the game fun to me. Any chance I get to do that, I’m going to try to show it off and show people what I’ve got.”

He showed nice hitting form from both sides of the plate this fall. If his “breakout” continues in 2026, Owen Ayers has a chance to make an impact with the Chicago Cubs in the future.