Cubs continue stockpiling arms, taking a flyer on a former first-round pick

No, it's not the Alex Bregman signing, but we have another Chicago Cubs addition to hit on as we all bask in the glow of Victory Sunday. Chicago has agreed to a minor-league deal with former first-round pick and Vanderbilt University standout Tyler Beede.

The Giants selected Beede, 32, with the 14th overall pick back in 2014. He made his MLB debut in 2018 and bounced between San Francisco and the minors in the coming years, never really able to establish himself at the big-league level. The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed him off waivers in 2022, he spent the 2023 season in Japan and spent the last couple of seasons with the Guardians and Twins organizations, respectively.

Cubs adding Tyler Beede, who spent last year in the Cleveland system

Beede showcases a four-pitch mix, including a splitter, four-seamer, curve and slider. As is often the case when the Cubs make additions like this, you can expect the pitching team to tweak what he throws and how he utilizes his offerings, so that's something to keep an eye on once spring training gets underway.

Chicago's new-look bullpen mix looks largely settled with roughly a month until pitchers and catchers report. Daniel Palencia slots into the ninth-inning role, with the likes of Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Caleb Thielbar, Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb bridging the gap from the rotation. Javier Assad and Colin Rea figure to serve as long relief/swing options, adding important starting depth for the Cubs.

It also goes to show how much of a destination Chicago has become for bounceback candidate arms in recent years. Their successes with a wide range of pitchers in recent years - ranging from Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz last year to Tyson Miller and Jorge Lopez prior - aren't lost on guys looking to get their careers back on track.

So we'll see how - or if - Beede plays a role and forces his way into the picture. But, for now, it's another name to add to the list heading into camp and we'll go from there.