Chicago Cubs: These three young arms could be difference-makers

As the Chicago Cubs put together their pitching staff for 2020, there are some internal options worth looking at. Could these pitchers contribute next year?

I wrote previously that building a bullpen will be a challenge this offseason for the Chicago Cubs. Given what we’ve heard from the front office since the season ended so far, it sounds like the team will not be spending much in free agency as it prepares for 2020.

Regardless, the team will have to address the bullpen this offseason. Despite the bad press the bullpen received throughout the year, it was actually a strength overall in 2019, as the team’s 3.98 relief ERA was good for eighth in Major League Baseball. Yet the bullpen is a huge question mark this offseason because four of the most important pieces from 2019 are free agents: Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, Brandon Kintzler, and David Phelps. Then there’s Craig Kimbrel, who will be coming back, yet we don’t know what to expect from him since he was so bad after signing a free agent deal during the season.

It’s out of the question that the Cubs will be able to sign all four of their free agents this winter, and it’s hard to envision the team finding enough options externally to fill that gap. Therefore, new manager David Ross will have to look internally to fill out his pitching ranks.

Then there’s the fifth starter’s spot, which is vacant because the club declined to make Cole Hamels a qualifying offer. Again, it’s hard to envision the Cubs spending a lot on a free agent starting pitcher this offseason.

Do the Cubs have enough internal options to put together a decent bullpen and/or to find a fifth starter? Here, we look at three potential options and examine whether they’d be ready to contribute in 2020.

Chicago Cubs: Adbert Alzolay

Adbert Alzolay‘s stock has fallen slightly since last year. In 2017, he was the Chicago Cubs’ #3 prospect according to MLB.com, and in 2018 he was #2. Yet in 2019 he has slipped to #5. Still, when Alzolay made his big league debut this past year, it came with a lot of hype because he’s one of the few impact pitching prospects the Cubs have had over the past few years who appeared to be ready to contribute at the big league level.

The Cubs signed Alzloay as an amateur free agent late in 2012. The 24-year-old right-hander from Venezuela has taken a long track to the major leagues, slowly working his way up before putting together a nice 2017 between Single and Double-A ball, posting a combined 2.99 ERA. His ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League for Triple-A Iowa was over 4.00 in 2018 and 2019, largely because he was walking more batters than previously. Yet walk and home run rates overall have been good throughout his minor league career.

Alzolay was called up in June and earned a win against the Mets on June 20, pitching in four innings of relief giving up just one run. He then had a decent start against the Braves on June 25, giving up one run in 4 2/3 innings. His next start against the Pirates, however, was a disaster, as he allowed seven runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning. He only made one more appearance in 2019, in September in relief.

Alzolay projects to eventually be a middle of the rotation starter. MLB.com reports that he has a good fastball and curveball but needs to work on his change-up. If the Cubs go into spring training with a spot open in the rotation, look for Alzolay to at least get a chance to show what he can do. If he has a good spring, he’ll at least be a bullpen option for Ross, if not a rotation piece.

Chicago Cubs: Duane Underwood, Jr.

The Chicago Cubs took Duane Underwood, Jr. in the second round of the 2012 amateur draft, during Theo Epstein’s first year on the job. Like Alzolay, he’s taken a long path to the majors, but it looks like the right-hander may have finally stuck with the big league club in 2019.

Underwood pitched mainly as a starter in the minor leagues and pitched well in the lower levels in 2014 and 2015. He stalled a little bit in Double and Triple-A  earned a ranking as the 17th-best prospect in the Chicago Cubs organization in 2017, and then he jumped up to #9 in 2018. The right-hander was called up to make one start in 2018, allowing one run in four innings on June 25 against the Dodgers.

Underwood got another chance at the big league level late in 2019, this time as a reliever. At Iowa, he posted a 5.07 ERA in 33 appearances, including ten starts. He mostly pitched well during his callup, as he did not allow a run in eight of his first ten appearances before giving up two runs in each of his last two.

Walks have been a problem for Underwood; for example, in Iowa in 2019, he allowed 41 free passes in 81 2/3 innings. Indeed, command has been an issue for him, while he hasn’t always shown as much dedication as he should.

At age 25, it looks like he may finally be ready to contribute at the big league level. With a good spring, Underwood could earn a bullpen spot.