Chicago Cubs: Trevor Megill continues to embrace his opportunity

Chicago Cubs: A sneaky talent ready for the Show

Megill is a big guy. Like, freakishly large. And for a pitcher that does not always seem to bode well. In Megill’s case, however, he embraces his size and puts it to good use when he toes the rubber. Last season, Megill’s actual sample size came in his 50 1/3 innings at Triple-A. There, the 6’8″ reliever posted a whopping 32.3 percent strikeout rate.

Something even more eye-popping was his lack of walks between the three levels, as his highest walk rate came at Triple-A, yet was still below the ten percent threshold, as Megill walked just 8.6 percent of the batters he faced.

Megill is a guy who is mainly reliant on his fastball, and why wouldn’t he rely on his most reliable pitch? For a guy who sits in the mid-’90s with a large frame, the amount of power Megill generates on his fastball alone is impressive. So far this spring, Megill is beginning to come out of his shell to rely not only on his fastball but his curveball as well.

Through his first couple of outings, Megill has looked relatively sharp. His fastball has touched 97 mph, which is a great sign. He is beginning to utilize pitches that last season were not as frequent, and with the work with pitching coach Tommy Hottovoy, the improvements are slowly starting to blossom.

Chicago Cubs: Turning the page to new ‘stuff’.

One of the coolest things existing within the organization is the pitch lab, which allows pitchers to analyze everything from spin rate to release and much more. Hottovoy helped Megill begin to utilize the lab to gain a better understanding and usefulness on his pitches. In a piece from Sahadev Sharma of ‘The Athletic’, he goes into detail about Megill and his newfound pitch.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody Bellinger
• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups

The Cubs have found success with other arms who have flown relatively under the radar in the likes of Kyle Ryan and Rowan Wick. Putting in the work for Megill means he understands the importance of the pitch lab and, ultimately, how he will find success.

Megill has added a knuckle-curve to his repertoire and is beginning to become more comfortable with that pitch.

We have already seen it during his spring outings and honing it will be the most prominent importance for Megill as we get ever closer to Opening Day.

While his slider is still top-notch and best only to that of his fastball, Megill has managed to record three strikeouts early on in his couple of outings, with two of those strikeouts coming on the curve. Continuing to improve that pitch will help Megill to progress to his goal of being on the opening day roster.

Chicago Cubs: Final thoughts

Megill finds himself in a battle with many other arms, and as we get closer to March 26 in Milwaukee, he will continue to work diligently to ensure his spot. The heat on his fastball is a promising thing, and Megill could find himself with a few new flamethrowers this season.

If Megill does not crack the Opening Day roster and remain on the active roster all season, he will be returned to the Padres as per the Rule 5 rules. Fans should hope that won’t be the case for Megill as his upside is one that day-to-day fans consider. Keep an eye on Megill leading up to Opening Day as he hopes to cement his role in the Cubs pen.