Cubs timeline revealed for two veteran arms expected to follow Brad Keller blueprint

The Chicago Cubs bullpen is officially set. Craig Counsell already named Daniel Palencia the closer, and Jed Hoyer did his part to rebuild the unit with a mix of solid veterans, including a returning Caleb Thielbar. As always, though, he left an opportunity for a breakout arm from their minor league signings and non-roster invitees to earn a spot on the roster. It was ultimately Ben Brown who won another chance in relief with a dominant Spring Training performance, but that's far from the end of the story.

The job of sorting out the Cubs 'pen is never done. Even in a year where Hoyer spent real money on relief arms, it's inevitable that those aforementioned minor league pieces will be needed as injuries and underperformance crop up. That means opportunities for guys like Corbin Martin and Collin Snider, who were both eyed in hopes of becoming the next Brad Keller-like success stories. That is, if either of them sticks around.

Both arms were assigned to minor league camp as Spring Training wrapped up. Due to their respective deals, they'll each now have opportunities to seek jobs with another big-league roster, though the timelines of their contracts are a bit different.

Martin's has an upward mobility clause built in, effectively requiring the Cubs to shop him to all other organizations. If a team bites, Chicago would have one last chance to add him to the major league club before shipping him off. Notably, it's the same way the Cubs were able to bring in Drew Pomeranz mid-season last year. Unless he prefers to stay in the organization, Martin could exercise the clause right away to land on an Opening Day roster.

For Snider, however, there's a little more wiggle room. His opt-out window is a little after Spring Training, meaning the Cubs can take their time and see a little more of his work in Triple-A before making a decision. That also may give them an idea of how their current relief corps stacks up to start the year and give them a little insurance against an early injury. If they have second thoughts and need a roster spot, Brown could be optioned to make room, too.

Snider and Martin have upside the Cubs will want to keep

Obviously, the Cubs would love to keep both around as options to sub in throughout the year. Both were reclamation types that they identified as good fits within the organization. Martin, for his part, relies on the type of heavy-cut four-seam fastball they like, and he can touch 95 mph with it to boot. Snider, meanwhile, felt like a strong bet to bounce back after a down season in which he put up a 5.47 ERA and dealt with a right forearm flexor tendon strain, just one year removed from dominating with a 1.94 ERA and 3.41 FIP with the Mariners.

That Snider didn't make the cut was a bit of a surprise given his Spring Training performance. From the get-go, his velocity jumped back up to 95 mph on the fastball after it dipped significantly last year. He was vocal about picking the Cubs because he felt their pitching development under Tyler Zombro would be beneficial as he was trying to get back in sync with his mechanics. That certainly seemed to happen, as he struck out 34.4% of the batters he faced in spring. Martin was less inspiring thanks to a 14.7% walk rate and a 7.04 ERA in limited play, but he still has tools that could make him a useful piece down the line.

Whatever they and the Cubs ultimately decide to do, the team won't lack for options. Javier Assad was also among the arms optioned to start the year and would likely be among the earliest names called. Other minor leaguers like Jack Neely, Luke Little, Riley Martin, Ethan Roberts, and Ryan Rolison will also be looking for opportunities throughout the year. Expect the front office to constantly be on the lookout for little ways to improve in-season, too.