Cubs Notes and recap

The Cubs have selected Reid with the 90th overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.

Reid spent his first two years at Oklahoma State before transferring to Abilene Christian for his junior year. He logged a 3.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 112 strikeouts in 88.1 innings after only pitching 19.1 innings his first two years combined. His changeup is his best pitch and it’s possible he’ll add velocity to his low-90s fastball in pro ball.

The Cubs have selected Kepley with the 56th overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft.

There’s no sugarcoating the fact Kepley probably won’t provide much over-the-fence power in pro ball. The lefty-hitting center fielder is listed at 5-foot-8, 180 pounds and hit three home runs in 61 games this spring as a junior for North Carolina after spending his first two seasons at Liberty. Fortunately, he is a plus defender and plus runner who walked twice as much as he struck out in his lone year for the Tar Heels. He had more hit-by-pitches this year (27) than strikeouts (22), and he’s never posted an OBP below .450, so if it all works out Kepley could lead off, at least against righties.

Imanaga (6-3) earned the win in Sunday’s game against the Yankees, allowing one run on two hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out six.

The only blemish on the Chicago southpaw’s performance was a solo homer conceded to Giancarlo Stanton in the second. Otherwise, Imanaga looked masterful on the road versus a New York team that entered this game ranked third in total runs scored. The Japanese star notched his first outing with five or more Ks since returning from a hamstring injury June 26. Imanaga has produced a 2.65 ERA, 0.93 and 48:16 K:BB across 68 total frames. Given his importance to the Cubs in the playoff race, the 31-year-old will likely draw a start in the team’s weekend series after the All-Star break against the Red Sox at home.

The Cubs have selected Conrad with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.

A big-bodied outfielder with power and speed, Conrad’s one issue is a propensity to chase, but he’s made it work so far. His natural lefty swing is geared for opposite-field power, which could cap his power output despite the fact he has plus raw power. Perhaps his top datapoint is a .920 OPS with a 15 percent strikeout rate with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer. Conrad slashed .372/.495/.744 with seven home runs, an 18.6 percent walk rate and a 14.4 percent strikeout rate in his 21 games at Wake Forrest this spring. He had season-ending shoulder surgery alter diving for a ball in March and probably won’t make his pro debut until 2026. He could end up in center field or left field, and first base is also a long-term option, especially if he comes close to reaching his offensive ceiling.

Swanson went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Yankees.

Swanson provided the key blast of the game, helping the Cubs break a 1-1 tie with his 16th home run of the season in the sixth inning. The shortstop has been playing well lately with a .293 batting average, two home runs, seven RBI and seven runs scored over his last 10 games. Swanson is a fairly consistent performer who plays nearly every day, giving him a safe fantasy floor heading into the All-Star break.