Cubs Prospect Rojas Impresses with Bat in Spring Training

20-year-old shortstop shows advanced hitting skills against older pitchers

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Chicago Cubs prospect Jefferson Rojas, the team's No. 3 ranked prospect, has been turning heads in spring training with his impressive offensive performance. The 20-year-old shortstop has been consistently hitting well against pitchers older than him, including homering off top pitching prospect Cade Horton multiple times in live batting practice. Rojas' advanced hitting ability has the Cubs organization excited about his future potential.

Why it matters

Rojas' standout spring training performance is a promising sign for the Cubs' future, as the organization looks to develop their top prospects into major league contributors. The 20-year-old shortstop's ability to excel against older, more experienced pitchers suggests he may be on a fast track to the big leagues.

The details

In nine spring training games so far, Rojas is batting .333 with a home run, three doubles, a .400 on-base percentage and a 1.067 OPS. Cubs director of player development Jason Kanzler praised Rojas' ability to stay calm and perform well despite the increased scrutiny of big-league camp. Rojas has made some adjustments to his batting stance in the offseason, standing more upright and separating his hands more, which appear to be paying dividends.

  • Rojas homered off Cubs pitcher Cade Horton in live batting practice last week.
  • Rojas took Horton deep twice more in a second live BP session.

The players

Jefferson Rojas

The Chicago Cubs' No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America, a 20-year-old shortstop who has been impressing with his advanced hitting ability in spring training.

Cade Horton

A Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher who was the National League rookie of the year runner-up last season. Horton has been repeatedly taken deep by Rojas in live batting practice.

Jason Kanzler

The Chicago Cubs' director of player development, who has praised Rojas' performance and development in spring training.

Craig Counsell

The manager of the Chicago Cubs, who has expressed an ambitious goal of Rojas potentially being ready to play in the major leagues by the end of this year.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“He owns me. I think I've faced him seven times probably and he's taken me deep three times, one on a fastball, one on a sinker and one on a slider, so, yeah, I wanted him to go easy on me and obviously he didn't. Second live BP he took me deep twice.”

— Cade Horton, Cubs pitcher (chicagotribune.com)

“It definitely feels closer getting to practice with players that play out there.”

— Jefferson Rojas (chicagotribune.com)

“There's obviously a lot of eyes on him, and for him to stay calm and stay steady and perform in spring and show us real development is really impressive.”

— Jason Kanzler, Cubs director of player development (chicagotribune.com)

“The goal for that would be at the end of the year he's ready to play in the major leagues, I think that's how we would see it. He's 20, so that's an ambitious goal right there, but he's having a great camp, and the way he's kind of matured in the batter's box over the last two years, getting spring training looks from him is really fun to see.”

— Craig Counsell, Cubs manager (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

The Cubs will continue to closely monitor Rojas' progress throughout spring training and the upcoming minor league season, with the goal of potentially bringing him up to the major league roster by the end of the year if his development continues at a rapid pace.

The takeaway

Rojas' standout spring training performance is a testament to his advanced hitting ability and maturity, especially at just 20 years old. The Cubs are rightfully excited about his future potential, and his ability to consistently produce against older pitchers suggests he may be on the fast track to the big leagues.