Long smashed 26 homers in three seasons at Long Beach State, four short of Jeff Liefer's school record. A ninth-round pick in 2023, Long found another gear when he advanced to Double-A last July and slashed .340/.455/.528 with seven homers in 46 games. He continued his hot hitting in the Arizona Fall League, where he ranked second in homers (six in 18 games) and fourth in slugging (.662).
Long's quick right-handed swing and strength generate plus raw power, and he works counts well while looking for pitches to drive. He's selectively aggressive, hitting balls hard and in the air without selling out for home runs. He uses the entire field well and shows opposite-field pop while making reasonable contact.
With well-below-average speed and fringy arm strength, Long doesn't have many positional options. He gets the job done at first base, but righty-hitting first baseman is an undesirable profile. The Cubs tried him in left field and third base in 2024 but he's a below-average defender at both spots.
Long hit 26 homers in three years at Long Beach State, four shy of school's career record held by Jeff Liefer. He has exceeded expectations since turning pro as a 2023 ninth-round pick, slashing .282/.393/.480 in his first two seasons and posting his best numbers yet after reaching Double-A in July.
Long is a fairly complete offensive player who creates solid raw power with his quick right-handed swing and strength. He does a nice job of working counts and using the entire field, and he can drive the ball out of the park to right field on occasion. He rarely chases pitches, makes consistent contact and does damage against both lefties and righties.
As a well-below-average runner with fringy arm strength, Long provides most of his value at the plate. Because right-handed-hitting first baseman is a tough prospect profile, the Cubs also tried him in left field and at third base in 2024. He's an average defender at first but substandard elsewhere.
