Chicago Cubs: Saying goodbye to a superstar in FanSided Mock GM Meetings

Chicago Cubs: SP Jonathan Stiever, No.7 overall

After finagling back and forth the details of the deal, we were able to land the White Sox’ number seven overall prospect Jonathan Stiever. The White Sox did offer Dane Dunning, who I like, however, coming off Tommy John surgery became a red flag. I can’t tell you if we made the right call.

Stiever is another strong college arm. He started three seasons at the University of Indiana, posting a career 3.56 ERA in 48 games, including 34 starts. As a sophomore, Stiever was the ‘Ace’ of the Hoosiers and even led the Big 10 in strikeouts. If that was not enough, Stiever helped his rookie level team win the Pioneer League championship in his first professional season.

Beginning the 2019 campaign at Class-A, Stiever posted a 4.74 ERA in 74 innings across 14 starts. Once he received a promotion to Class-A Advanced, Stiever turned on another gear. He started 12 games and finished the season there with a 2.15 ERA, lowering both his FIP and xFIP in the process.

The Cubs require pitching if they wish to compete in the next decade. The average age of the rotation is roughly 32 years old, and Stiever has the ceiling of a future number three starter in the rotation. While he may not be the hottest pitching prospect in the White Sox’ system, he is another reliable option and one who would ultimately help the Cubs into the future.