The Cubs are adding right hander Nick Neidert on a minor league deal, according to Robert Murray of Fansided. The deal includes opt-out clauses which Neidert can trigger on June 1 and July 1 of 2023.
Neidert, 26, made a solitary start for the Marlins last season, going five innings and giving up two runs. At Triple-A, he tossed 46 innings of 1.96 ERA ball, with a 26.1% strikeout rate and 4.9% walk rate. He was designated for assignment by the Marlins and became a free agent last month.
Originally drafted by the Mariners in the second round of the 2015 draft, Neidert was traded to Miami as part of a deal for Dee Strange-Gordon in 2017. He made his big league debut for Miami in the shortened 2020 campaign, tossing 8 1/3 innings of 5.40 ERA ball. He’d continue to serve as a depth piece for the Marlins moving between Triple-A and the majors, and since his 2020 debut has thrown 49 big league innings for a 4.59 ERA.
While he’s posted strong numbers in the minors, Neidert’s struggled to punch out batters in the big leagues, working to a 13.3% strikeout rate over his three seasons. Neidert throws a four-pitch mix, tossing a low-90s fastball alongside a slider, changeup and curveball. He still has one minor league option remaining.
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