3. Justin Steele
Justin Steele is going into the 3rd season of his career, where he improved a lot from 2021 to 2022. Steele is likely going to be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation, just behind Marcus Stroman and Jameson Taillon, and this is a perfect spot for the developing pitcher. In 2022, Steele finished with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.353 WHIP in 119 innings. With the additions the Cubs have made this offseason on offense, the pressure for pitchers should decline slightly. Steele will soon be a top pitcher in this organization.
4. Hayden Wesneski
Wesneski came up in the 2nd half of the season and appeared in just 33 innings as a starter. However, in that time, Wesneski proved that he deserves a spot in the rotation. Finishing the season with a 2.18 ERA and a 0.939 WHIP is impressive, even if it was just 6 games. Wesneski will likely be the 4th or 5th pitcher in the rotation, but the young 25-year-old pitcher has a lot of potential this season to be a top rookie pitcher.