5 Chicago Cubs that will be part of the next core

5 Chicago Cubs that Will be Part of the Next Core – #4: Justin Steele

At number three we have the newest member of the Chicago Cubs rotation, Justin Steele. Steele, earlier in the week, made his big league debut for the Cubs, throwing five innings of three-run ball. Steele was activated from the IL in July and sent to Triple-A Iowa after missing time with a hamstring strain.

Before the IL stint, Steele put in an impressive 2.03 ERA in 13 1/3 innings of work out of the bullpen. Upon returning from injury, he electrified with a 1.32 ERA in 27 1/3 innings at Triple-A before making his debut as a starter. Recently turning 26, Steele has several years ahead of him in which should he remain successful, would significantly help the Cubs add a much needed cost-effective southpaw to their rotation.

Steele should get multiple chances as the season rolls on to prove he has what it takes to be in the rotation moving forward. With the Cubs’ season in shambles, it bodes well for the younger players who get a chance to showcase what they can do. Steele falls perfectly into that category and it will be very interesting to start eating up innings and see how much success he can have. If he doesn’t carve out a starting role, he is virtually a lock for a late-inning bullpen position.