Getting to Know: Cubs ninth-rounder Jonathan Long |
The Cubs were in an interesting position in this year's draft where they were not bad enough to get some of the elite prospects, yet not good enough to pick later in the rounds. That put them in the middle of the pack as they had to do a little more scouting than they have in the past.
They not only took that on as a challenge but did a bunch of digging into many players, including several college-level players that many scouts may have overlooked during the draft process. Ninth-rounder Jonathan Long could be another one of those guys, as the Cubs drafted him with the 266th overall selection. When you look at the Cubs needs either on the MLB roster or throughout the minor league system, 1B comes to mind. Sure, you have Matt Mervis mashing in AAA, but the jury is still out on him, whether he is the future or not at the 1B position. The Cubs know that and will not hesitate to add depth at that position, as the former Long Beach State product is a 1B and has now been added to the Cubs. At 6-0 and 210 pounds, Long already has good size, and there may be more that he can add to his frame. A three-year starter for his college program, Long was one of the more consistent players during his time on the field and went on to have a career year in 2023. This past season, Long slashed .310/.402/.597 and hit 15 home runs. Long added 17 doubles and had a walk rate of nearly 14% with a strikeout rate of just over 17%. All of those numbers are great to see in such a young player, and it shouldn't surprise you to see him land with second-team all-conference honors. Before his 2023 season, Long was always known for his eye at that plate and putting the ball in play. The difference was his first two years in school; he sacrificed power to be more of a line-drive hitter, as the power came to him in his final season. Now that he started to show more power than he has shown in the past, the Cubs hope that is a sign to come, as they could desperately use a power-hitting 1B to build around. All it took for Long to increase his power was a small, subtle change in his approach. Long has a slightly closed-off setup with quick hands and a fairly direct path to the ball. He hit the ball hard and managed a 92 mph average exit velocity this spring, with home run power to both gaps. Long’s uptick in in-game power this spring is essential for his profile at the next level, as that will get him to the show. Like most 1B, Long isn't a great runner, but some scouts feel he is below average from where he should be. Long has also proven to be a defensive liability at times and has been limited at 1B in the field. Knowing that you could see the Cubs move him to DH if the bat translates just to keep him in the lineup and open things up at first for a better defender, depending on what level he falls to. He’s always hit for average and gotten on base at a strong clip, though Long did struggle in 40 games in the Cape Cod League in 2022 when he slashed .210/.320/.381 with 41 strikeouts and 14 walks. His performance this spring could make him a late-day two-draft target. That is exactly where the Cubs took him, and now it becomes a case of how quickly he can develop. Picks like this may not excite the casual fan but are also filled with upside. The more experienced you are from the college circuit, the more likely you will be able to contribute more quickly. The Cubs will need that in the coming years once their current prospects start shifting levels.
