Getting to Know Cubs Draft Pick: Ty Southisene |
The Chicago Cubs made it abundantly clear what their target was during the early rounds of the MLB draft, as eight of their first 10 selections were on the position side of things. That strays away from what this team has been doing in recent drafts, which goes to show how this organization feels about the overall offense from top to bottom.
They continued that trend in the first round when they drafted Ty Southisene No. 120 overall. Graded out as the 111th-best prospect, Southisene fell right in line with where most felt he would be drafted, which could be considered a good thing if you are in the Cubs organization. Primarily an SS during his days at Basic High School in Nevada, Southisene has also shown the ability to play 2B and even some 3B, making him the classic utility player selection that many teams make. Listed at just 5-9 and 170 pounds, Southisene is one of the smaller players in this year's class and draws a lot of similarities to Nick Madrigal, but with much more offensive upside than Marigal has shown. Despite being ranked where he was, Southisene was the best prep player in the state of Nevada and often performed very well at the showcase events, which is something a lot of teams care about. Those are the events with the most scouts and the best competition to see a player show up in those big moments, leaving a lasting impression on whatever team takes them later on. Southisene is a baseball lifer and comes from a very good baseball family. His brother Tee was also a solid prospect in this year's class, while Tate could be one of the better, if not the best, in-state prospect for the class of 2025. However, the Cubs feel that Tate got the best out of the three. Anytime you see a player built like Southisene, you wonder what type of upside that player has. Not the most imposing figure out there, Southisene has all the tools to be one of the best players out there, and that alone is why a lot of teams were attracted to him as a day 1 or day 2 option. A big reason that teams were looking at him is his overall hit tool, which may only be average right now, but most think he will be a plus hitter with time. He already shows an advanced approach at the plate and does a great job controlling the strike zone. That leads to plenty of hard contacts, even if there isn't much power in that contact, as he could be one of those line-drive types of hitters that hunt for extra-base hits. There are times when does try and sell out for power, but if he can stay within himself and let his bat do the talking, whatever power he does end up with will come naturally. Not only does he have a high IQ when it comes to hitting, but he also has a high baseball IQ and understands the game very well, inside and out. Those instincts alone will allow all of his tools to be slightly better than expected because he understands how to use them and when to use them. Defensively, his soft hands and quick footwork make him a natural for the shortstop position, but his below-average arm could land him at second base for the long haul, which may not be a bad thing either. Southisene is committed to playing for the National Champion Tennessee Volunteers next season should he not sign with the Cubs, but there is a very high likelihood that he will sign his contract. Southisene is a standout performer on the field with well-rounded tools who can move through the system quicker than most fourth-round picks. His pure bat-to-ball skills make him a natural hitter, and he has the ability to be one of those leadoff hitters for years to come. That is something the Cubs offense has lacked over the past few years, so finding the leadoff hitter of the future would be a win for this organization. This is one of those picks that could move through the system slowly, but he could also move a bit quicker due to his natural bat-to-ball skills. Apart from a Madrigal comparison, you have both Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw as options, but with less power. Ty Southisene is one of 4 boys & his family is from Henderson, NV. His dad told us that Southisene means “do the best you can” in Thai.
His mom is from Thailand & his dad is from Laos.
Bros:
Tee- twin RHP/OF (older by 2 mins)
Tate- 2025 class SS/OF
Troy- 2026 class MIF/OF/RHP
