Is Iowa Cubs’ Donn Roach a potential bullpen solution?

Despite picking up a win in Friday night’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen struggled yet-again – a trend that has become all-too-prevalent over the past couple weeks.

Setup man Pedro Strop has not looked like the lights-out reliever we saw in 2014 and on Friday, closer Hector Rondon was lit up by Ryan Braun in the ninth on a three-run shot. By the numbers, disgraced starter Edwin Jackson, who finds himself in the bullpen now, has been the team’s best relief option.

While we’ve constantly talked about the merry-go-round featuring the likes of Brian Schlitter, Tsuyoshi Wada and others who have spent time in Chicago, one major asset in the organization has been overlooked: Iowa Cubs’ right-hander Donn Roach.

The Cubs claimed Roach off waivers last November from the San Diego Padres, the team the right-hander made his big league debut with last summer. In 16 contests with the Friars, Roach pitched to a 4.75 earned run average as he struggled to miss bats, allowing more than 10 hits per nine innings pitched.

However, those struggles have not carried over to the 2015 season for Roach – who is quickly making a name for himself as the ace of the I-Cubs’ staff.

In half-a-dozen outings this year, including another stellar start at home on Friday night, the 25-yaer-old righty is 4-0 with a 2.17 ERA and 1.071 WHIP. Oddly enough, Roach isn’t striking out batters – he’s averaging just 3.6 punch outs per nine, just over half of his career mark in the Minors.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody Bellinger
• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups

Against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Friday, Roach turned in six shutout innings of work for the second time this season, the other coming on the road on April 15 against Memphis. The right-hander has allowed more than three earned runs just one time – and that came on April 9, which was his first outing of the season.

Since that first start, Roach has allowed just five earned runs in 32 innings pitched, as his opponents’ batting average has plummeted from .435 all the way down to .234. Needless to say, the righty has put it all together and is riding high; on Friday, he led the I-Cubs back to .500, a big step for a team missing both Addison Russell and Kris Bryant, both of whom earned promotions earlier this season.

His success isn’t something new. In 2012, between High-A and Double-A, Roach combined to go 11-2 with a 1.88 ERA and 3.55 SO/BB ratio, putting together the best season of his professional career. 2013 wasn’t as impressive, but the Padres still thought enough of him to add him to the big league roster, as he made his Major League debut on April 2 against the Dodgers, allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings.

Sure, his big league resume is hardly what you’d call impressive. But Donn Roach, a former third-round draft pick, has shown just how effective he can be this year at the Triple-A level and, should the Cubs’ bullpen woes continue, he could – and should – get a shot at a role in the Windy City.

Next: Cubs top Brewers 7-6 behind four homers