Javier Assad

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #20 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Cubs scouted Mexico heavily last decade and signed Assad for $150,000 from the Yucatan franchise shortly before his 18th birthday. He spent his first five seasons as a steady, reliable innings-eater with pedestrian stuff, but he gained three mph on his fastball in 2022 and took off. Assad set new career-bests in ERA (2.99) and strikeouts (111) as he blitzed through Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. He earned his first callup in late August and finished the year in the Cubs rotation.
  
  Scouting Report: Assad goes right after hitters and fills up the strike zone with a five-pitch mix. His fastball ticked up from 88-91 mph to 92-95 mph and plays above its velocity with his ability to command it in the zone. His short, tight 85-88 mph cutter is an above-average offering with late tilt and his above-average, low-80s slider with sharp break and movement gets chase swings at the bottom of the zone. He also has an average mid-80s changeup with solid fading action and a below-average mid-70s curveball he can ambush hitters with to steal a strike. Assad has an advanced feel for sequencing his pitches and impressive poise on the mound. He throws everything for strikes with above-average control and works efficiently.
  
  The Future: Assad's command and feel for pitching should help him stick as a back-end starter or swingman. He could be more if his stuff continues to tick up.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 40. Slider: 55. Cutter: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #23 prospect in 2018
  The Cubs' 2015 international class provides several key pieces of this year's Top 30, many of whom played together in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 and at short-season Eugene last summer. Assad, a $150,000 signee in July 2015, is in that group and made a big step forward with the Emeralds. A bit older than other members of the class at 20, Assad isn't a power pitcher, projecting more as a back-of-the-rotation innings eater. Assad has a big frame and will have to maintain his conditioning to maintain his stuff. The more he worked, the better he pitched, capped by a strong six-inning outing in the Northwest League playoffs. Assad's fastball sits at 92-93 mph and can reach as high as 96, and he throws plenty of strikes with it to both sides of the plate. None of his secondary pitches grades as above-average; however, he's shown he can keep his slider and curveball separate, as well as some feel for his solid-average changeup. One club official compared him to fellow farmhand Jen-Ho Tseng. Assad figures to join fellow Mexican signee Jose Albertos again in 2018 in the low Class A South Bend rotation.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #9 prospect in 2017
  The Cubs Signed Assad out of Mexico in 2015, and the thick-bodied righthander had a strong debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2016, going 2-2, 2.87 in 37.2 innings. Assad built off of that performance with another solid season as a 20-year-old in the NWL. He went 5-6, 4.23 and had an exceptional outing in the playoffs against Vancouver in which he allowed one hit and struck out nine in six innings. Like fellow Cub Jose Albertos, Assad can run his fastball up to the mid-90s, touching 96 mph, but he generally works 90-94 mph, and he impressed opposing managers with his command of the pitch. Assad throws a full four-pitch mix and showed advanced pitching feel. His slider is his most effective secondary offering, grading ahead of his curveball, but both pitches have shape. Assad is able to add and subtract from his changeup and commands the pitch well. Going forward, Assad's focus will need to be on conditioning and keeping his weight down. If he's able to maintain his health, he has the fastball and pitchability to project as a No. 3 or No. 4 starter.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Cubs scouted Mexico heavily last decade and signed Assad for $150,000 from the Yucatan franchise shortly before his 18th birthday. He spent his first five seasons as a steady, reliable innings-eater with pedestrian stuff, but he gained three mph on his fastball in 2022 and took off. Assad set new career-bests in ERA (2.99) and strikeouts (111) as he blitzed through Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. He earned his first callup in late August and finished the year in the Cubs rotation.
  
  Scouting Report: Assad goes right after hitters and fills up the strike zone with a five-pitch mix. His fastball ticked up from 88-91 mph to 92-95 mph and plays above its velocity with his ability to command it in the zone. His short, tight 85-88 mph cutter is an above-average offering with late tilt and his above-average, low-80s slider with sharp break and movement gets chase swings at the bottom of the zone. He also has an average mid-80s changeup with solid fading action and a below-average mid-70s curveball he can ambush hitters with to steal a strike. Assad has an advanced feel for sequencing his pitches and impressive poise on the mound. He throws everything for strikes with above-average control and works efficiently.
  
  The Future: Assad's command and feel for pitching should help him stick as a back-end starter or swingman. He could be more if his stuff continues to tick up.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 40. Slider: 55. Cutter: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Cubs scouted Mexico heavily last decade and signed Assad for $150,000 from the Yucatan franchise shortly before his 18th birthday. He spent his first five seasons as a steady, reliable innings-eater with pedestrian stuff, but he gained three mph on his fastball in 2022 and took off. Assad set new career-bests in ERA (2.99) and strikeouts (111) as he blitzed through Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. He earned his first callup in late August and finished the year in the Cubs rotation.
  
  Scouting Report: Assad goes right after hitters and fills up the strike zone with a five-pitch mix. His fastball ticked up from 88-91 mph to 92-95 mph and plays above its velocity with his ability to command it in the zone. His short, tight 85-88 mph cutter is an above-average offering with late tilt and his above-average, low-80s slider with sharp break and movement gets chase swings at the bottom of the zone. He also has an average mid-80s changeup with solid fading action and a below-average mid-70s curveball he can ambush hitters with to steal a strike. Assad has an advanced feel for sequencing his pitches and impressive poise on the mound. He throws everything for strikes with above-average control and works efficiently.
  
  The Future: Assad's command and feel for pitching should help him stick as a back-end starter or swingman. He could be more if his stuff continues to tick up.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 40. Slider: 55. Cutter: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55