Marlins' Jonathon Long: Could make MLB debut this year
Rotowire
Long could be called up to the Marlins before the end of the season to fill a short-side platoon role in left field and at first base, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Acquired from the Cubs at the trade deadline in the Braxton Garrett deal, Long has had an up-and-down 2026 season at Triple-A, but since the beginning of July he boasts a .337/.425/.606 slash line with 13 doubles and five homers in 120 plate appearances. The 24-year-old could provide some balance to a heavily left-handed Miami lineup, but he would likely have a hard time winning consistent playing time.
... See More... See Less
Marlins' Jonathon Long: Dealt in package for Garrett
Rotowire
The Marlins acquired Long and right-hander Jace Beck from the Cubs on Monday in exchange for left-hander Braxton Garrett, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Long had been blocked off at the Triple-A level while in the Cubs organization for the past couple seasons, but he's also seen a decline in his performance (108 wRC+) in 2026 compared to 2025 (131 wRC+). A righty-hitting first baseman and left fielder, Long is slashing .283/.364/.455 with 12 home runs and a 21.2 percent strikeout rate in 99 games as a 24-year-old.
... See More... See Less
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Won't play in WBC
Rotowire
Long (elbow) will not join Team Chinese Taipei for the World Baseball Classic, deciding instead to stay in camp to focus on his rehab, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Long has been dealing with a left elbow sprain and has been on the mend over the past week. His original plan was to simply delay his departure for the WBC, but now the 24-year-old has opted to instead stick with the Cubs. While it's a disappointing development for Long, the decision makes sense in terms of getting fully healthy for the regular season. The youngster figures to start the year with Triple-A Iowa, where he'll look to build on the 20 home runs and .885 OPS he posted across 140 games at the same level in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Diagnosed with elbow sprain
Rotowire
Long exited Saturday's Cactus League game against Texas with a sprained left elbow, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The 24-year-old prospect suffered the injury while attempting to catch a wide throw to first base that put his arm in the path of Mark Canha, leading to a collision. Long will likely miss some time while he recovers, though it's still unknown whether his injury will impact his availability for the start of the regular season.
... See More... See Less
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Injures wrist Saturday
Rotowire
Long was removed from Saturday's Cactus League game against the Rangers with an apparent left wrist injury, Matthew Postins of SI.com reports.
Mark Canha ran into Long's arm while the latter was attempting to catch a wide throw to first base in the fourth inning. The severity of Long's injury isn't immediately clear, but the Cubs should provide more information on his status in the near future.
... See More... See Less
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Invited to camp
Rotowire
The Cubs invited Long to major-league spring training on Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Long spent all of last season with Triple-A Iowa, where he sported a .307/.405/.480 slash line and mashed 20 home runs across 140 games. The 24-year-old is blocked at first base in the majors by Michael Busch, who had a breakout 2025 campaign. The offseason signing of Tyler Austin as a potential short-side platoon partner for Busch or Moises Ballesteros further blocks the righty-hitting Long, as the Cubs are unlikely to carry two righty-hitting first basemen at a time and Long isn't on the 40-man roster.
... See More... See Less
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Hits 20th homer
Rotowire
Long is slashing .311/.410/.492 with 20 home runs, a 13.2 percent walk rate and a 19.1 percent strikeout rate in 132 games for Triple-A Iowa.
The righty-hitting first baseman did everything in his power to force a promotion to the big leagues, but he's not on the 40-man roster and there's a logjam ahead of him on the organizational depth chart. Long has dabbled at third base and in left field, but it's unlikely the Cubs would play him at either of those positions in the majors. Michael Busch starts at first base against righties and Seiya Suzuki has started 102 games at designated hitter this year, with prospects who are on the 40-man like Moises Ballesteros, Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara also muddying Long's playing time outlook for 2026. Despite Long's stellar age-23 campaign, he won't need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason, so he will probably return to Triple-A next year for an indefinite period.
... See More... See Less
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Exits Triple-A game early
Rotowire
Long left Saturday's game for Triple-A Iowa due to a tight leg muscle, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.
Long is slashing .367/.429/.533 with four home runs, two steals, a 9.5 percent walk rate and a 24.9 percent strikeout rate in his first 40 games at Triple-A. His 33.9 percent hard-hit rate is strong, but Long's .486 BABIP illustrates his good fortune in the early going. He hasn't been placed on Iowa's injured list and should be considered day-to-day for now.
