Chicago Cubs: Looking at internal options to round out the rotation

Chicago Cubs: Picking from the farm

Adbert Alzolay also had some starting experience last season. The 24-year-old scattered two hits and two runs across his first 8 2/3 innings of work before getting clobbered against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the start of July.

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Alzolay struggled to regain his form at Triple-A Iowa, and also missed some time due to another injury. He is undoubtedly part of the future in the rotation, but is Alzolay the best starting option after such an up-and-down season?

The Cubs will probably elect to keep Alzolay in Triple-A at the start of the 2020 season with the hopes that he can build some momentum and make a case for the fifth spot or even a bullpen role.

Left-handed prospect Brailyn Marquez, on the other hand, could make his way through the pipeline in a hurry. Marquez was Chicago’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2019, and he dominated in five starts at High-A Myrtle Beach, posting a 1.71 ERA in 26 1/3 innings of work.

The 20-year-old is likely to start the 2020 season in Double-A, but Marquez might earn a call-up if he excels from the jump.

Chicago might look to take the “committee” approach with respect to the fifth spot in the rotation, but they do have some internal options if they fail to add a starter this winter.