Former Cubs prospect Andrew Cashner wins arbitration hearing

Sep 22, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher

(34) throws during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Former Chicago Cubs first-round pick Andrew Cashner has won his arbitration hearing against his team, the San Diego Padres, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. After winning his hearing, he is slated to make $2.4 million in 2014.

Last season with San Diego, Cashner , 27, set a career-high for wins in a season (10), innings pitched (175), strikeouts (128) and games started (26). His 3.09 earned run average was a bit of a relief for the Padres, just one season after he posted an ERA of 4.27 in just 46 1/3 innings of work. He relied less on strikeouts in 2013, with his K/9 ratio falling from 10.1 in 2012 to just 6.6 last season.

He broke onto the big league scene with the Cubs in 2010, just two years after he was drafted by the organization, but he never lived up to the lofty expectations many fans and those around the league had for him, going 2-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 54 1/3 innings of work. He appeared in only seven games at the Major League level the next season, as injuries were an issue for the right-hander.

Based on ESPN’s depth chart for the Padres heading into Spring Training, Cashner projects as the club’s third starter, slated behind Ian Kennedy and Eric Stults, but coming ahead of the newly acquired Josh Johnson, who is looking to re-establish himself as one of the top starting pitchers in the game after a horrendous 2013 campaign with Toronto. The starting five for San Diego is rounded out by Tyson Ross.

The Padres had countered with an offer of $2.275 million, so the difference between the team and Cashner was minimal in terms of usual arbitration hearings. The right-hander is under team control through the end of the 2016 season.