Spring Prospect Watch: Jefferson Rojas is turning heads
· Yahoo Sports
MESA, Ariz. — There’s growing hype around Cubs shortstop prospect Jefferson Rojas, and roughly two weeks into spring training games, it’s well-earned. Rojas’ home run swing is drawing some comparisons to the likes of Justin Upton, and he’s making plays up the middle that Nico Hoerner has described as “Dansby-esque.”
This spring, Rojas is sporting a 1.102 OPS through 22 at-bats across 10 games played. He has two home runs, including this moon shot from Wednesday’s game against the Brewers, and three doubles. Last Friday, in a game against the Guardians, Rojas fielded a ball deep behind second base and made the throw to first from his seat.
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Those highlight reel moments are garnering the 20-year-old a lot of attention, including from manager Craig Counsell.
“The way he’s matured in the batter’s box over the past two years,” Counsell said of Rojas’ growth. “Getting spring training looks from him is really fun to see.”
The challenging plays on defense that Rojas has handled are also a positive for Counsell, who preaches the value of tough defensive plays in spring training for all of his players. Better a young guy like Rojas or a major leaguer like Matt Shaw who’s learning new positions get those moments in the Cactus League so they can be prepared for when the games count.
Rojas chalks up his increased comfort at the plate and on the field to having had a taste of major league spring training in 2024 and to the experience he gained moving up to Double-A last season. But for the most part, what he’s doing this spring is just a part of his natural progression as a player.
“In terms of the hitting, to feel comfortable is how I’ve always played,” Rojas told CHGO through team interpreter Fredy Quevedo, Jr. “It’s always been, whenever I step in the box, it’s me against him, and I’m going to win.”
The more Rojas wins these battles at the plate this spring, the more he might impact his place in the Cubs’ farm system. For now, he knows the likelihood of something like making the major league roster is not very likely, so Rojas is focusing on the chance that spring training provides to play alongside his big league counterparts.
“Having the opportunity to play with these guys here and hopefully play with them down the line, it’s something that’s really nice,” Rojas said. “And it’s something where I want to show them that I can make those plays and do those things.”
But although Rojas is lighting up the spring highlight reel, his major league impact might not come for a little while. Rojas, 20, reached Double-A in mid-July last year, and even without the aforementioned Dansby Swanson standing in the way at shortstop, Rojas is likely a name to keep an eye on for 2027, not this year.
“The goal for [Rojas] would be at the end of the year that he’s ready to play in the major leagues, [and] that’s an ambitious goal,” manager Craig Counsell said.
Farm system depth is sometimes as valuable as major league bench depth; a guy like Rojas who seems very far away right now might have to be called upon sooner than expected. For example, Hoerner made his major league debut in 2019 at age 22 when the Cubs had multiple injuries to their middle infield defense and were still trying to fight for a playoff spot.
The most likely scenario, however, is that Rojas sticks around at major league spring training for another week or even slightly longer, and then he starts the season on the Double-A roster. During his time in the Southern League in 2025, Rojas batted just .164, so even though he’s thriving at the plate this spring, more time at the Double-A level is probably necessary. From there, Rojas could get a look at Triple-A Iowa later in the season, and then perhaps even a cup of coffee with the Cubs at the end of the year.
But that, as Counsell said, is an ambitious timeline. So for now, enjoy the show Rojas is putting on this spring and put him on your list of guys to watch for 2027.
“It’s on them to let me know where I’m going to go and where I’m going to play,” Rojas said. “So I just have to put the work in and leave them wondering where I could play. That’s what I want to do, just put the work in.”
Courtesy Knoxville News-Sentinel