Cubs Draft Prospect Target: Christian Moore |
With less than a month to go until the 2024 MLB draft kicks off, the Mock draft season of the offseason will be winding down. Cubs fans have seen plenty of mock drafts over the last few months, and although there have been plenty of discussions about who the Cubs will take with their first pick, there have been two names that continue to be the ones most often mentioned.
That would be a pair of Florida State bats in third basemen Cam Smith and outfielder James Tibbs III. Both fill voids in the Cubs lineup, and both would be an upgrade over what they have in the long term. However, despite the fit for both of these players, a new name has popped up on the MOCK draft board as Tennessee 2B Christian Moore is the latest name linked to the Cubs at No. 14. Moore has seen his name rise up the draft boards in recent weeks and ranks right up there with Vance Honeycutt as the players with the most noise right now. Both have had great offensive seasons this season and have continued to show up during the NCAA Tournament, which is the biggest reason their stock has been climbing. Moore put himself in the spotlight in a recent NCAA tournament game when he hit for the second cycle in college World Series history, raising his season home run total to 33. Those numbers could still improve the longer his team stays in Omaha, and with three very successful SEC seasons under his belt, that might intrigue the Cubs more than others, as they value experience and success equally. The 21-year-old Moore has been destroying baseballs ever since stepping on the Knoxville campus. Despite having a ton of helium right now, most consider him a tier-2 hitter for whatever reason. Seen as the 25th-best prospect as things sit, Moore is the one player to watch in the coming weeks as he is creeping up the draft boards to the point where he could be close to a top-10 selection. One of the most complete Connecticut products out of high school, Moore committed to the Volunteers and has made an impact since day one. As a freshman, he posted a 1.062 OPS as a semiregular at Tennessee and encored with a 1.046 OPS next spring. Those are unheard-of numbers, especially for a freshman or sophomore, so you can see how much value he has brought to the table since his first collegiate game. He has taken his overall production to new heights this season, setting a program record in homers (33 and counting) and career homers (60 and counting) and continuing to post one of the best OPS lines in the nation. Moore lives for the big moment, and scouts love the way he rises to the occasion in the biggest games, as no moment is too big for the kid.
At 6-1 and 210 pounds, Moore has a very solid frame and looks to do damage at the plate with an aggressive approach. That mindset, mixed with bat speed and sheer upper body strength, gives him the power to use all fields, and he will be a 25-plus homer guy at the next level. Not only does he have next-level power, but his ability to work counts, and making a pitcher work helps him draw a high number of walks, which is another reason he posts one of the best OBPs in the country.
Although his long swing does make him prone to chasing bad pitches, his ability to change the game with one swing often overlooks his struggles at times as he continues to be one of the biggest offensive threats in college baseball. While the offensive potential is there, what about the other aspects of his game? There is more to baseball than just hitting.
Moore isn't the fastest baserunner when it comes to getting acceleration, but once he gets going he does have better speed than what most think. A bit of a project in the infield, Moore has shown the ability to make an incredible play, but has also missed some of the most routine grounders out there. Moore did show some versatility this season by playing some shortstop, but his average arm makes it more likely that he will stay at second with the possibility of moving him to center.
Given that Nico Hoerner is under contract through 2027 and has other options at 2B, like James Triantos and Matt Shaw, should the Cubs draft Moore, they would be able to bring him along much slower than some of their other prospects. That could work out in the Cubs' favor, as it will give them the time they need to see if he is the real deal while also figuring out if some of their current guys are the answer.
