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3 Cubs pitching prospects to know not named Cade Horton or Ben Brown
Losing Jackson Ferris hurts, but there are still several Cubs pitching prospects who will excel this season.
After losing Jackson Ferris in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs have pitching depth, but there are probably a few guys you may not be familiar with yet. Keeping in mind that this list will not include Cade Horton, Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Luke Little, or anyone else we've seen in the majors to this point, let's take a look at three pitching prospects to get to know for 2024.
3 pitching prospects to know - 3. Bailey Horn
Bailey Horn was drafted in the 5th and final round of the shorted 2020 MLB draft. Horn has been groomed to be a reliever, as he hasn't started a game since 2021. However, there's much to like. After posting a 2.79 ERA between High-A and Double-A in 2022, Horn only needed 9.0 innings in '23 to jump to Triple-A Iowa. In 53 frames, he did struggle somewhat with a 4.58 ERA. His 10.0 K/9 is encouraging, but he ultimately allowed too many base runners, which translated to a 1.528 WHIP.
Still, the Cubs opted to add him to the 40-man roster for a couple of reasons. One, It's easy to see the potential when Horn is on, and two, he provided much-needed lefty depth. He has succeeded in the lower levels, but it is time to put it all together if he wants a shot at the majors. He will start the season at Iowa, but if he jumps out of the gate fast, he's a viable candidate to get called up to the show at any time if Craig Counsell needs an arm.
3 pitching prospects to know - 2. Michael Arias
Michael Arias enjoyed a really nice start to the year, recording a 2.55 ERA in 11 starts at Myrtle Beach with the Low-A Pelicans. It was a tale of two halves for the young hurler, as a 5.77 ERA in 39 frames was not the outcome he wanted after a promotion. Granted, his walk rate was high in Low-A, and he mostly got away unscathed; the same fortune did not follow him to South Bend. Although he recorded 46 punch-outs, the 1.7 WHIP will not play at any level. 26 walks in 39 innings of High-A ball (6.0 BB/9) will have to be corrected, but this isn't the first time Arias has struggled with command.
We saw his command issues last season between Rookie ball and Low-A. The thing with Arias is, when he's on, he's lights out. That was why the Cubs also opted to add him to the 40-man roster this winter so as not to lose him to the rule-5 draft. At 22 years old, he has plenty of upside, and if he can get the command issues under control for good, he can certainly be a viable part of the Cubs' future plans.
3 pitching prospects to know - 1. Brandon Birdsell
Brandon Birdsell had a fantastic year in his first year of pro ball in the Cubs' organization. After being drafted in the 5th round of the 2022 draft, Birdsell excelled up to Double-A this past season, earning a 2.77 ERA in 24 starts between South Bend and Tennessee. Not a prolific strike-out thrower (97 to 107.1 IP), Birdsell did record an above-average walk rate, pitched to contact, and got outs. In 2023, he hurled 107.1 innings, 22 more than he had ever thrown in college.
He only pitched 27 innings in Double-A, so he'll begin his 2024 campaign there. Although his counterpart Cade Horton got all the spotlight at Double-A once he arrived, Birdsell was a big reason that the Double-A Tennessee Smokies won the championship at the end of the year. We'd love to see him continue succeeding and be knocking on the door to the show by the end of the 2024 campaign.
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