Carter Hawkins admits to what we all already know when it comes to Jaxon Wiggins

With the top 60 percent of their starting rotation currently on the shelf, in an ideal world, the Chicago Cubs would turn to top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins. Instead, Wiggins himself is also injured, leaving Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins with extremely limited internal options to stem the bleeding.

The team picked up right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson from the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations Thursday and, at least for the time being, that's the likeliest way to plug the myriad holes in the pitching staff. But it's not all doom-and-gloom when it comes to Wiggins, who has been sidelined with right elbow inflammation.

MLB Pipeline's #48-ranked prospect, Wiggins is nearing a return to game action. He'll throw live BP this weekend and the Cubs will go from there. As positive as that sounds, Hawkins acknowledged they can't bank on Wiggins being the savior of the staff anytime soon.

Cubs will slow play Jaxon Wiggins because of lack of experience, injury history

A lot of fans start clamoring for top prospects to get the call as soon a key injury hits, let alone the sheer volume of injuries this team has currently. But Chicago isn't going to rush the former second-round pick just because of the glaring needs Craig Counsell has at the big-league level.

Remember, Wiggins has just 17 2/3 innings under hit belt at Triple-A and only 145 2/3 professional frames to his credit since being selected in the 2023 MLB Draft. That's not much of a workload to speak of and injuries continue to be the unknown with the former Arkansas standout, much the same as they are with Cade Horton, who is out for the entire 2026 season and much of the 2027 campaign after undergoing elbow surgery.

The hope is Boyd is back to full strength by July and Steele returns at some point in the second half, bolstering a rotation that seems likely to get reinforcements ahead of the trade deadline, as well. It would be nice if Wiggins ends up throwing meaningful frames for the Cubs late in the season, but by no means are Hawkins and Hoyer betting on it - and neither should fans.

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