Could the Cubs Have their Next Pitching Phenom in the Minors!?
The Chicago Cubs have done a good job of creating offensive players. Whether they are in Chicago still or playing for another town, their ability to identify hitters is pretty well documented throughout baseball. The one area that the Cubs haven’t really done well, outside of a few guys here and there, have been identifying pitching. Developing pitching and bringing high-quality pitching up to the big leagues. This has also been the M.O. of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer as well. Sure they need to be credited with trading for Jake Arrieta, Pedro Strop, and Kyle Hendricks, but from draft to the show, there isn’t a lot of pitching to show for their work.
Then along came some dude named Brailyn Marquez. A 20-year-old lefty that can blow a 100-MPH heater by just about anyone he faces. He was just promoted to High-A Myrtle Beach and dazzled in his first start for the Pelicans.
Good Morning, Twitter ☀️
Wake up with the highlights from last night’s win!#MBPelicans | #GoBirds pic.twitter.com/dICXWkAzoN
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) August 7, 2019
His final stat line on the day? 5.0 innings, 0 Hits, 0 Runs, 3 BB, 4 K
Oh, and this comes after a 1-hit 14-K performance and then another Low-A South Bend start with six hitless innings. So, in his last 11 innings pitched, he’s allowed a single hit, 26 K’s and 4 walks. Hitters are slashing, .019/.089/.109 against him during this ridiculous run.
Marquez is the Cubs top pitching prospect, and according to MLB is the Cubs 4th best prospect behind Nico Hoerner SS, Miguel Amaya C, and Brennen Davis OF. He edges out Adbert Alozlay for the top pitching spot.
On the season, Marquez has 102 strikeouts in 82 1/3rd innings pitched. He has walked 43, and that needs to be cleaned up a bit, but he has the opportunity to be a truly special arm. He is still a few seasons away from taking the Wrigley Field mound, but he very likely could be the filthiest pitcher in the organization right now.
Expect to see him jump up on all MLB Top 100 prospect lists in the offseason, and I would expect that the Cubs find three or four names on those lists coming into the 2020 season. They are still highlighted by hitting, but both Alozlay and Marquez have a chance to join Hoerner and Amaya. Always remember, TINSTAAPP, but it’s hard to not salivate over that 100+ MPH heater from the left side.
