The Chicago Cubs have a roster that is a good combination of youth and veteran talent. Strategically mixing and matching these players in order to best utilize them will be one task this year for manager Craig Counsell.
A few of these examples include youngster Pete Crow-Armstrong being surrounded by Kyle Tucker and Ian Happ in the outfield. In the infield, rookie third baseman Matt Shaw will work alongside Jon Berti, Justin Turner, and even another younger player in Gage Workman. On the other side of the diamond, first baseman Michael Busch will see the vast majority of the playing time, but Turner will also back him up.
Pitching wise, reliever Porter Hodge will get to pick the brain of two time All-Star Ryan Pressly. Additionally, the starting rotation will now feature second year pro Ben Brown.
Chicago Cubs announce Ben Brown as the teams fifth pitcher in the starting rotation
The Cubs have revealed that 25 year old Brown will be the team’s fifth starter. A season ago he appeared in 15 total games, making eight starts and throwing 55.1 innings with a 3.58 ERA. On the mound, he is a two pitch pitcher, with a fastball averaging 95.5 MPH and a knuckle curve that generated whiffs at a 51% rate last year.
Competing with Brown for the final spot in the rotation was newcomer Colin Rea. He’s been a solid innings eater throughout his career, but doesn’t have the same upside that Brown possesses. Other pitching news was that Brad Keller won a 40-man roster spot and will operate as a reliever who can throw multiple innings.
It’s exciting to see the Cubs give Brown a chance to start this year. Things could change based on his performance, or when Javier Assad returns, but at least early on their is no significant risk in putting him alongside Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd in the rotation.
‘Fleeced’: Chicago Cubs called out for Kyle Tucker trade amid Astros-Cam Smith news
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
