10 FORMER IOWA CUBS ON CUBS’ WILD CARD ROSTER

The race to the Fall Classic begins at 9 p.m. CT for the Chicago Cubs as they travel to San Diego for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. Iowa Cubs fans will see a group of familiar faces when Chicago takes the field with the Cubs’ 26-man roster featuring 10 former I-Cubs.

The 10 former I-Cubs on the Cubs’ Wild Card roster represent a wide range of paths through the minor league system. Some spent multiple seasons at Principal Park, while others made only brief stops in Des Moines on their way to the show.

Pete Crow-Armstrong - OF

Iowa Cubs fans got an early look at the player who would go on to make history and become one of the brightest young stars in the big leagues. Crow-Armstrong played in 60 games with the I-Cubs from 2023-24 and batted .264 (66-for-250) with 11 home runs and 20 stolen bases. PCA earned All-MiLB Prospect Second Team honors in 2023 and was the Defensive Player of the Year. Now a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, the 24-year-old has continued to make history in 2026, becoming just the seventh player ever to join the 40-40 club.

Pedro Ramírez - UTIL

If you attended a game at Principal Park this season, there is a good chance you will recognize Pedro Ramírez. He played in 43 games with the I-Cubs in 2026 and lit it up during his time in Des Moines, hitting .312 (53-for-170) with 11 doubles, nine home runs and 40 RBI. He was named International League Player of the Month for April as he slashed .323/.398/.625 (31-for-96) with seven home runs and 28 RBI. The 22-year-old made his MLB debut on May 23 and batted .261 (63-for-241) in 80 games.

Ian Happ - OF

Before becoming a four-time Gold Glove winner and an All-Star in Chicago, Ian Happ spent three seasons roaming the outfield at Principal Park. He played in 125 games with the I-Cubs from 2017-2019 and slashed .255/.363/.473 (118-for-463) with 25 home runs and 78 RBI. Happ went on to make his MLB debut with Chicago in 2017 and has spent his entire Major League career with the Cubs.

Matt Shaw - UTIL

Before making his mark in Chicago, Shaw treated baseball fans in Des Moines to a unique blend of power and speed. The Cubs first round selection out of the University of Maryland in 2023, Shaw has played in 68 games with the Iowa Cubs from 2024-25, including nine rehab appearances in 2026. Shaw hit .294 (75-for-255) with 30 extra-base hits, 40 RBI and 13 stolen bases during his time with Iowa and was named to the All-MiLB Prospect Second Team in 2024.

Colin Rea - RHP

The Cascade, Iowa native gave Iowa Cubs fans plenty to cheer on during his standout season in 2019. Rea went 14-4 with a 3.95 ERA (65 ER in 148.0 IP) and 120 strikeouts across 25 outings and pitched in nine games with Chicago in 2020. After spending 2021-24 in Milwaukee’s organization, Rea returned to Chicago in 2025 and has helped the Cubs return to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Daniel Palencia - RHP

Palencia was acquired by the Cubs from the Athletics on July 26, 2021, in exchange for reliever Andrew Chafin and has been a fireballer in the organization ever since. Palencia has made 56 appearances (one start) for the I-Cubs and has gone 2-2 with a 5.19 ERA (35 ER in 60.2 IP) and 101 strikeouts. He put on a show every time he took the ball at Principal Park, consistently hitting triple digits on the radar gun.

Javier Assad - RHP

Assad is another player who has been in the organization for 10 years after being signed in 2016. The right-hander has pitched in 23 games (22 starts) for Iowa across four seasons (2022, 2023, 2025, 2026) and has gone 1-6 with a 3.93 ERA (40 ER in 91.2 IP). He made his Major League debut on August 23, 2022 and has pitched in the swingman role for the Cubs with 106 appearances and 65 starts.

Ryan Rolison - LHP

Rolison’s path to the postseason roster started at Principal Park this season as he began the year on the I-Cubs roster. He pitched in five games with Iowa, posting a 3.68 ERA (3 ER in 7.1 IP) before receiving the call to the show on April 14. Since that moment, Rolison has been a staple in the Cubs’ bullpen going 9-2 with a 3.14 ERA (22 ER in 63.0 IP) in 60 games (two starts) with 55 strikeouts.

Miguel Amaya - C

The 27-year-old catcher has been with the Cubs since 2016 and rapidly moved through the system as he has played in just 28 games with the I-Cubs, 15 games in 2023 and 13 games in 2025 (all on rehab). Amaya batted .258 (23-for-89) with 15 RBI in his time with Iowa.

Nico Hoerner - INF

Hoerner is another former I-Cub who did not spend much time in Des Moines as he hit .269 (7-for-26) in eight games in 2021. The two-time Gold Glove winner was selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Stanford.