Chicago Cubs may have their future bullpen waiting in the wings

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At the big league level, the Chicago Cubs have gotten plenty from their bullpen. But the next generation of relievers is working their way through the minors.

Over the first nearly two months of the 2019 campaign, the Chicago Cubs bullpen has held their own after a rocky start. The group boasts the fourth-lowest earned run average in the National League at 3.92, limiting opponents to a .233 average so far this season.

They’ve done so without getting a single inning from Brandon Morrow, who may not return till the second half. The man who was supposed to fill in for him, Pedro Strop, remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that’s left a void in the ninth inning. But, with these guys out of action, several arms, including Brandon Kintzler, Steve Cishek and Tyler Chatwood are all stepping up.

Concerning the younger guys, Dillon Maples saw some opportunities earlier this year and looked solid, despite the walks he surrendered. However, outside of the young right-hander, the team has had no reason to look further into the pipeline at their options as the rest of the pen has panned out nicely.

It brings us to a few of our under-the-radar prospects, currently residing in various levels of the system and the possibility they bring in terms of future consideration for the club and the overall impact. The Cubs may not have a top-shelf farm system, but that does not stop them from finding and developing quality talent.

Chicago Cubs: Peyton Remy – South Bend Cubs

Team’s minor league systems are often so full of prospects, it is nearly impossible to keep track of them all – even for the most diehard fans. Thankfully when one of those prospects stands out, it makes it much easier on the back end to give credence to those players who deserve it, and Peyton Remy deserves it, no doubt.

Remy hails from Colorado, having attended high school in Parker before spending one season at Central Arizona College, a small junior college. After posting a respectable 3.28 ERA over 85 innings, Remy was selected by the Cubs as a 20-year-old in the 17th round of the 2017 June Amateur Draft. To put that into context, 524 names were called before Remy heard that chorus.

At just 22 years old, he still has a lot of time to grow; however, what he has quietly produced thus far is impressive. After struggling in a small sample size his first year, with a 7.50 ERA in five games, Remy bounced back in a big way last year.

Across 52 1/3 innings at Rookie-level as a 21-year-old, Remy finished with a 2.58 ERA over 11 games, seven which were starts. Impressively, Remy finished with a 28.5 percent strikeout rate and just 6.3 percent walk rate. He held opposing hitters to .208 and pitched to a 1.01 WHIP.

This season, Remy is holding his own at Class-A South Bend. Thus far in 18 1/3 innings, Remy has a 2.95 ERA with a 26.6 percent strikeout rate. His walk rate did increase as should be expected, however opposing hitters are still swatting just .221 against him, and Remy is not allowing a lot of balls to leave the park.

Remy does still have a long way to go. However, if he can continue to control baserunners from reaching via the dreaded walk and can continue keeping the ball in the yard, he could progress nicely. Keep an eye on him, Cubs fans. He could be part of the future.

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Chicago Cubs: Jesus Camargo – Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The second player of this group is Pelicans relief pitcher Jesus Camargo, whom the Cubs signed as an undrafted amateur free agent back in 2014 from the Mexican League. Surprisingly, Camargo has already logged three full professional seasons in the United States, with 2019 being the fourth – despite his being just 23 years of age.

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As a member of the Mexico City Red Devils, Diablos Rojos del México, Camargo pitched just 2 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. The following season, the Cubs signed him, and Camargo joined the Rookie League as a member of the Arizona Cubs. There, Camargo flourished.

His first year, he tossed 46 1/3 innings. The young hurler saw action in 11 games, starting seven of them and finished the campaign with an outstanding 3.30 ERA. Camargo pitched to a 2.93 FIP and recorded a 30.2 percent strikeout rate to just a 6.4 percent walk percentage.

In 2017 as a member of the Low-A Eugene Emeralds, Camargo pitched even better. Over 60 1/3 innings, Camargo posted a 29.2 percent strikeout rate and a low 2.39 ERA. The walks increased slightly; however, he did not surrender a long ball, finishing with a 2.89 FIP.

Camargo slowly worked his way through the system, recording a 2.62 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with South Bend in 2018, and is off to another decent start this year. From 2017 to 2018, he saw a significant dip in his strikeout rate, however from last year to this year he slightly improved it, again.

Through his first 11 games on the new season, Camargo has a 2.52 ERA. Unfortunately as is the case with most pitchers rising through respective ranks, Camargo did see an increase in his FIP and xFIP, as well as his walks.

Nonetheless, Camargo is someone of intrigue mainly because he is still really young and does possess a ton of experience already. For him to succeed moving forward, this young prospect will need to develop back into the strikeout pitcher he was in the lower levels. He will most likely never reach starter territory; however, there is a realistic shot Camargo does reach the Show as a staple reliever.

Chicago Cubs: Craig Brooks – Tennessee Smokies

The final player of the group is Tennessee Smokies reliever, Craig Brooks. Brooks is a compelling case as he doesn’t fit the mold of a promising prospect. Brooks is 26 years old, placing him on the back end of ‘prospect’ status. The team selected him in 2015, in the seventh round.

Brooks has had quite a minor league career, having not yet made it to the big leagues. In 2015, his first professional season, Brooks spent a sliver of time at Eugene, pitching to a 3.38 ERA in 10 games. The next year, he joined South Bend, where he pitched exceptionally in compiling a 1.39 ERA in 32 1/3 innings.

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After a promotion to Myrtle Beach, Brooks struggled mightily. His ERA jumped to 8.25 and both his walk rate, FIP, and xFIP all skyrocketed. The beginning to his 2017 season was completely different, as he finished with a 0.44 ERA in 20 1/3 innings with the Pelicans before being promoted once again.

At Double-A his first time around, Brooks posted a 4.46 ERA and an incredibly impressive 31.7 percent strikeout rate. Concerning his walk rate, Brooks struggled to keep it under control as it more than doubled from the year before. Last season, Brooks seemed to put everything together and posted a 3.44 ERA between Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.

This season, Brooks is on a tear. Through his first 12 games with Tennessee, he has six saves and a 0.61 ERA. The strikeouts are at a career-high 40.6 percent, and despite still struggling with command, Brooks has decreased his walk rate.

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Brooks is the definition of a real dark horse to make it to the show, yet is still someone to watch as the season progresses. The beginning to his season is encouraging, and with injuries or a myriad of other supernatural events, Brooks could get an opportunity. When it comes to the Cubs, you never know.

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