Mervis, Horn to Represent Cubs With Arizona Fall Stars

Matt Mervis' value just keeps rising. His dizzying rise up the prospect charts in 2022 has been nothing short of a miracle.

From a former undrafted free agent, he's risen to one of the Chicago Cubs' top prospects. Now he'll be competing with some of the brightest talent minor league baseball has to offer.

He and reliever Bailey Horn have both been selected as 2022 Arizona Fall Stars, All-Stars of the Arizona Fall League.

Mervis has continued to rake during his time in the AFL, slashing .286/.340/.691 with five home runs in 47 plate appearances. He was also selected as a participant for the AFL Home Run Derby.

Left-handed reliever Horn, meanwhile, has been nearly as dominant on the other side of the ball. He's thrown 10.2 innings and is yet to allow a run, though his walks and strikeouts suggest that he's perhaps due for some regression.

In that span he struck out seven, and surrendered six free passes. 

Acquired for Ryan Tepera at the 2021 deadline, the Cubs seem to have found a sleeper for two months of a reliever on a non-contending team. Horn pitching to a 2.79 ERA across 51.2 innings in 2022 at High-A and Double-A.

If all goes according to plan, he could be with the Big League team by mid-summer 2023.