5 Cubs candidates for RoY in ‘24 - 4. Jordan Wicks
Jordan Wicks is first on the list, entering his official rookie season with the Chicago Cubs. Last season, he tossed 33.1 innings and earned a 4.41 ERA. Although it does not look pretty, his small sample size was inflated drastically after his lone poor outing in which he gave up six runs to Milwaukee over 1.2 frames. Prior, he was sitting at an even 3.00. Most notably, he recorded three quality starts in September, proving he has the potential to flash top of the rotation stuff.
Although the Cubs’ roster is far from finalized this winter, Wicks is considered a starting rotation member. His excellent pitch mix can help him excel at the highest level. As we saw in his debut, when he fanned nine Pirates, when Wicks’ command is on point, he can carve up a lineup. He has a very high upside going into 2024. After adding Shota Imanaga, Wicks will likely have to earn the 5th starter spot in Spring Training over Javier Assad.