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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.