The Chicago Cubs selected University of Mississippi right-hander Cade Townsend with the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. The 21-year-old sophomore, known for his high-spin breaking balls and 94-97 mph fastball, was chosen to address the organization’s need for pitching. This selection marks the first time the Cubs have grabbed an arm in the first round since 2022, when they selected Cade Horton seventh overall.
Cade Townsend’s Path to Chicago
Chicago Cubs Select Ole Miss Right-Hander Cade Townsend at No. 23
For the Cubs, the selection of Cade Townsend represents a pivot in draft strategy. After indicating recently that Chicago would try to prioritize pitching, vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz and his team moved to bolster their staff. Townsend, a 6-foot-1 right-hander, emerged as a target after a sophomore campaign at Ole Miss where he posted a 3.94 ERA, 88 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 64 innings over 14 outings. This followed a freshman season where he acted as a swingman, posting a 6.35 ERA over 34 innings while battling a shoulder injury.
Townsend’s scouting profile centers on his ability to manipulate the baseball. “Spin is really my super power. That’s what I tell everyone,” Townsend said. “I just have a weird, innate ability to spin the ball and make the ball move left or right.” He features a fastball that sits at 94-97 mph and three plus pitches—a slider, cutter, and curveball—which he mixes with a changeup. The Cubs are drawn to pitchers who feature plus spin and velocity, and Townsend, who was ranked No. 35 on Pipeline’s Top 250 Draft prospects list, fits that description.
One of his most significant collegiate performances came during the SEC tournament semifinals. Tasked with taking the ball against a potent Louisiana State lineup, Townsend pitched into the fifth inning and blanked the Tigers, who went on to win the national title. “It just helped me understand that, man, I can pitch here and I can beat the best team,” Townsend said. “Ever since that game, I really had that mentality that I can pitch against anyone and I can pitch in every environment.”
The Scouting Connection and Draft Strategy
Ryan Rolison Influences Cubs Scouting Report on Cade Townsend
The Cubs’ interest in Townsend was bolstered by internal scouting reports, including insights from current Cubs reliever Ryan Rolison. Rolison, a first-round pick out of Mississippi in 2018, trained with Townsend during the past two offseasons in Oxford, Mississippi. Rolison, whose wife Lauren works with the Ole Miss athletic department, provided Townsend with perspective on the professional game, including the business side and the challenges of recovering from injuries. “I was just blown away with the amount of knowledge that he had about what he was doing, his arsenal,” Rolison said. Right off the bat, seeing how developed he was.
Cubs vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz expressed satisfaction with how the draft unfolded. “Going in we felt it was going to be slightly skewed towards more pitchers than hitters,” Kantrovitz said. With getting Cade up top, that really solidified our draft strategy. Kantrovitz noted that the team had been less invested in pitching in recent drafts, but that the approach for 2026 was different. “You can’t take good pitching if you don’t take pitching,” Kantrovitz said. “In the last two years, in particular, we had to figure out how we allocated part of our draft pool to pitching without leaking wins or overall draft value, which has always been our north star.”
Dan Kantrovitz Leads Cubs to Draft Pitchers Carson Jasa and Dylan Marionneaux
The team’s draft success extended beyond the first round. On Day 1, the Cubs picked three collegiate arms, including righties Carson Jasa in the third round and Dylan Marionneaux in the fourth round. They also selected two college hitters: Texas A&M outfielder Caden Sorrell and Florida State first baseman Myles Bailey in the second round and via a compensation pick.
Townsend’s Outlook
Cade Townsend Targets Major League Debut After Cubs Draft Selection
For Townsend, the selection represents a desired outcome, as he had identified the Cubs as his top choice. “I told my agent, told my family, this was my No. 1 pick for sure,” Townsend said. “It was surreal getting picked. I mean, that’s what you dream of (as) a little kid, and it’s just a new journey and the start of a new one.”
Townsend emphasized his desire to join an organization that operates like a family. “I was looking for a good fit. Didn’t care what the pick was, didn’t care what the money was. I really just want a team that’s a family and, really, who’s going to help support me to get to the big leagues? Because at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that matters is going to the big leagues.”
The Cubs now plan to integrate Townsend into their developmental system, aiming to maximize his athletic foundation. His selection fits into a draft slot valued at nearly $4 million. As the organization looks to the future, they view Townsend as a prospect who can benefit from their infrastructure to reach Wrigley Field.
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