Chicago Cubs: The intriguing nature of Conor Lillis-White

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One month ago, the Chicago Cubs did the unthinkable – they traded Tommy La Stella. Caught up in the loss, who came to Chicago in the deal went overlooked.

In most trade scenarios involving the dreaded ‘player to be named later,’ it rarely turns out in any way significant — unfortunately, most of the time that player ends up being a lower-tiered minor leaguer, with little to no shot of reaching considerable stature on the Chicago Cubs roster.

This time around, however, things could be different. The Cubs may have found an under-the-radar name in the La Stella swap. Conor Lillis-White is a big left-handed relief pitcher who is 26 years old. He is a former 32nd-round selection by the Angels, taken back in the 2015 MLB Amateur Player Draft.

Across the span of the past three years, Lillis-White had been slowly progressing through the ranks of the Angels system, seeing time this past year at Triple-A. Diving into his statistics, Lillis-White is one of those fringe players who could see success at the major league level. For this Cubs, this would be icing on the cake.

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(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Impressive beginnings

Lillis-White heard his name called as the last pick of the 32nd round three years ago out of the University of British Columbia. While never ranking in the team’s top 30 list of prospects, the lefty still put up solid numbers to begin his professional career.

His first exposure at the professional level came in Rookie ball. That season, Lillis-White appeared in just eight games, pitching to a 2.93 ERA in 15 1/3 innings. The most impressive number of his line that first year? His strikeout rate, which sat at an astounding 28.1 percent.

The following season, while still at Rookie ball, Lillis-White posted an even better ERA of just 1.93,  this time in 18 2/3 innings pitched. Even more significant than that, Lillis-White significantly improved his already impressive strikeout rate, finishing at a ridiculous 34.3 percent.

The resounding start to Lillis-White’s career continued to progress, reaching a 39.5 percent strikeout rate in his first season at Low-A. During his rise throughout the lower levels of the system, Lillis-White’s earned run average did increase, which is expected. However, he continued to show signs of stuff which could carry him to the next levels.

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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Continuing to progress and impress

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In 2017, Lillis-White found himself at High-A to begin the campaign. He pitched in 13 games, totaling 22 1/3 innings and posting a much respectable 3.63 ERA while also continuing to keep his strikeout rate up, at 31.8 percent. After a short stint there, the Angels moved Lillis-White to Double-A.

Lillis-White did struggle in his time there, seeing his walk rate increase immensely, as well as posting an increased ERA, FIP, and xFIP. That being said, he still did post a 28.1 percent strikeout rate and saw an overall drop in the number of home runs he was conceding.

Last season, beginning at Double-A and ultimately working his way to Triple-A, Lillis-White saw a significant step forward in his production and overall value. Most significantly, he saw 37 1/3 innings at Triple-A, pitching in 26 total games and finishing 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA. The strikeouts returned too, as Lillis-White ended at a 31.5 percent clip.

The walks dropped too, going from 16.7 percent in 2017 to under ten percent, 9.7 percent to be exact, last season. Unfortunately, Lillis-White did post an underwhelming 4.07 FIP however that is to be expected as he continues to move towards the show.

(Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Making an impact in Chicago

As odd as it may sound, Lillis-White could become an impact reliever for the Cubs in 2019. While the notion is a little strange to consider, hear me out. Every team is better when they have a big left-handed shutdown relief pitcher. While it remains to be seen if Lillis-White can be that guy, the Cubs could certainly benefit from that role.

Currently, Justin Wilson is a free agent. There has not been a recent discussion of a reunion, and if that reunion does not ultimately happen, the Cubs need to figure out an alternative plan. It is where Lillis-White can come in and hopefully make an impact.

His biggest strength has come against left-handed hitters, which is excellent. Last season, Lillis-White posted a solid .209 BAA and an above-average 24.7 percent strikeout rate. For a team needing a left-handed relief pitcher heading into 2019, this is a great sign.

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Lillis-White is a name to watch this upcoming Spring Training for Cubs fans. It’s highly unlikely that Lillis-White earns an active roster spot out of camp. However, there could be a good chance that he sees time at the major league level in 2019 if he pitches well, both in camp and at the beginning of the season.

Let’s hope he can continue to work his way to the next level and become a producer for the future.

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