Pablo Aliendo

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #23 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High.
  
  Track Record: It’s been a slow progression for Aliendo since the Cubs signed him for $200,000 out of Venezuela in 2017. He didn’t make his full-season debut until 2021 and reached the upper minors in 2023. He returned to Double-A Tennessee in 2024, where he hit .242/.350/.495 with six home runs in 32 games before a wrist injury shelved him for two months. His power was noticeably down in 26 games following his return.
  
  Scouting Report: Aliendo is a fairly tooled-up catcher with questionable hitting skills but a huge arm. His plate profile is heavily rooted in his contact quality, as his plate skills are below-average. Aliendo has a ton of swing-and-miss in his game and struggles to do anything against soft stuff. In 2024, Aliendo hit .091 against changeups and .203 against all breaking ball types. He shows fringy on-base ability and likely will walk less in the major leagues. His raw power is above-average and he’s taken steps to more consistently optimize his ball flight. Behind the plate, Aliendo is an above-average receiver and blocker. His framing skills grade out as fringe-average on several teams’ models, but his arm is a 70-grade weapon that controls the running game.
  
  The Future: Aliendo is a flawed player, but his above-average contact quality and plus-plus arm give him a shot to make it as a platoon catcher.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 30 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Field: 55 | Arm: 70.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #20 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Aliendo signed with the Cubs for $200,000 out of Venezuela near the end of the 2017-18 international signing period. An advanced defender but raw hitter at the time, Aliendo progressively got stronger and blossomed offensively at Double-A Tennessee in 2023. He set new career highs with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 147 total bases and a .790 OPS while ably guiding a high-octane pitching staff and helped lead the Smokies to the Southern League championship.
  
  Scouting Report: Aliendo is the best defensive catcher in the Cubs system and one of the best in the minors overall. He is an excellent athlete with soft, quiet hands in receiving, above-average lateral agility in blocking and a plus, accurate arm. He receives high-velocity fastballs and quality breaking stuff without issue and has a calm, mature demeanor that keeps his pitchers steady. Beyond his physical skills, Aliendo is an exceptional game-caller who is highly intelligent and is nearly fluent in English. Aliendo spent the 2022 offseason working out at the Cubs complex in Arizona to get stronger and now possesses easy power. He’s an aggressive free swinger and a well below-average hitter overall, but he gets to his power enough to project to hit double-digit home runs.
  
  The Future: Aliendo’s power, defense and intangibles give him a chance to be a second-division starter behind the plate. Even if he doesn’t reach that, he should be a valuable backup catcher who plays in the majors for a long time.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #25 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Aliendo signed with the Cubs for $200,000 out of Venezuela shortly before his 17th birthday and quickly asserted himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the organization. His bat took longer to come around, but he steadily improved and had his best offensive season at High-A South Bend in 2022. He set new career highs in almost every category and led South Bend to the Midwest League championship.
  
  Scouting Report: Aliendo is one of the best defensive catchers in the low minors. He is a plus receiver with soft, quiet hands and handles both premium velocity and quality secondary stuff. He is a superb athlete who moves well laterally, is a plus blocker and has a plus, accurate arm. Aliendo complements his physical gifts with elite makeup. He is an advanced game-caller for his age and is a natural leader behind the plate. He is bilingual and an excellent communicator. Aliendo has good hand-eye coordination in the batter's box, but he is overly aggressive and swings at too many pitches he can't drive. He'll need to refine his pitch selection to be a below-average hitter and better access his growing power.
  
  The Future: Aliendo has a chance to be a second-division starter if his bat develops. If not, his defense and makeup give him a chance to have a long career as a backup catcher.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 30. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Aliendo signed with the Cubs for $200,000 out of Venezuela shortly before his 17th birthday and quickly asserted himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the organization. His bat took longer to come around, but he steadily improved and had his best offensive season at High-A South Bend in 2022. He set new career highs in almost every category and led South Bend to the Midwest League championship.
  
  Scouting Report: Aliendo is one of the best defensive catchers in the low minors. He is a plus receiver with soft, quiet hands and handles both premium velocity and quality secondary stuff. He is a superb athlete who moves well laterally, is a plus blocker and has a plus, accurate arm. Aliendo complements his physical gifts with elite makeup. He is an advanced game-caller for his age and is a natural leader behind the plate. He is bilingual and an excellent communicator. Aliendo has good hand-eye coordination in the batter's box, but he is overly aggressive and swings at too many pitches he can't drive. He'll need to refine his pitch selection to be a below-average hitter and better access his growing power.
  
  The Future: Aliendo has a chance to be a second-division starter if his bat develops. If not, his defense and makeup give him a chance to have a long career as a backup catcher.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 30. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Aliendo signed with the Cubs for $200,000 out of Venezuela shortly before his 17th birthday and quickly asserted himself as one of the best defensive catchers in the organization. His bat took longer to come around, but he steadily improved and had his best offensive season at High-A South Bend in 2022. He set new career highs in almost every category and led South Bend to the Midwest League championship.
  
  Scouting Report: Aliendo is one of the best defensive catchers in the low minors. He is a plus receiver with soft, quiet hands and handles both premium velocity and quality secondary stuff. He is a superb athlete who moves well laterally, is a plus blocker and has a plus, accurate arm. Aliendo complements his physical gifts with elite makeup. He is an advanced game-caller for his age and is a natural leader behind the plate. He is bilingual and an excellent communicator. Aliendo has good hand-eye coordination in the batter's box, but he is overly aggressive and swings at too many pitches he can't drive. He'll need to refine his pitch selection to be a below-average hitter and better access his growing power.
  
  The Future: Aliendo has a chance to be a second-division starter if his bat develops. If not, his defense and makeup give him a chance to have a long career as a backup catcher.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 30. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.