“Don’t Expect Him in 2026”: Why Owen Ayers’ “Ungodly” AFL Breakout Won’t Break the Cubs’ Catcher Logjam.vc

(CHICAGO) — History has set a trend: The last three players to win the Arizona Fall League Breakout Player of the Year made their MLB debut the very next season.

This year, Chicago Cubs switch-hitting catcher Owen Ayers “erupted onto the national scene” to take home that same honor.

But barring a “wild ascent,” Ayers will not be the fourth. His breakout has created a fascinating dilemma: a player who is suddenly too good for A-ball, but who has no clear path to the Majors.

The “Ungodly” Coming-Out Party

Ayers, a former 19th-round pick, was not even listed on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 prospects for the Cubs. He has rewritten that narrative.

After a broken hand in July cut his 2025 season short, Ayers used the AFL to showcase his entire skillset. The results were staggering:

• The Slash Line: An “ungodly” .379/.539/.591 in 89 plate appearances.
• The Discipline: He drew 22 walks against just 10 strikeouts, demonstrating an elite understanding of the strike zone.
• The Defense: He was a “force behind the dish,” pairing a “strong throwing arm with an elite pop time” to control the running game.

Humility Amid the Hype

Ayers, 24, is keeping the success in perspective, showing a maturity that has impressed the front office.

“It’s nice to have a lot of success… but at the end of the day, I realized what I do here doesn’t matter for next year,” Ayers told MLB.com. “I know I have a lot of work left to do. Even though I’ve had some success, it doesn’t end.”

His humility is justified, as the Cubs’ organizational depth at catcher is arguably the strongest in baseball.

The “Brick Wall” Roster

This is the reality: The Cubs have “no rush” to promote Ayers.

The 2026 big league squad is set with the veteran Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya. Behind them is the “Big Kahuna” of Cubs prospects, Moises Ballesteros, who is already knocking on the door.

That trio alone—Kelly, Amaya, and Ballesteros—could potentially lock down the position through the 2027 season, given their respective contract and arbitration statuses.

Ayers’ “coming-out party” was a massive success. He has forced his way onto the prospect map and will almost certainly “crack that list” in its next update. But this is a front office that “just doesn’t operate” on a few weeks of impressive stats.

Ayers has bought himself a promotion to Double-A in 2026, but he hasn’t bought himself a ticket to Wrigley Field. Not yet.