Whether it’s Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson, Adbert Alzolay, or even Brandon Hughes out of the bullpen, the Chicago Cubs have a bounty of young pitching arms primed for the future.
After Monday night, it’s clear you can add one more to the list: Javier Assad.
Coming off a scoreless four-inning shutout in his Major League debut against the St. Louis Cardinals the week prior, the 25-year-old right-hander followed up with another five innings of scoreless baseball on Monday night against the powerhouse Toronto Blue Jays.
Signed as an international free agent in 2015, the right-hander’s first two starts have showcased his effectiveness, efficiency, and confidence on the mound against two of the best offensive teams in baseball.
The Blue Jays have the third-best average (.261) and fourth-highest OPS (.750) this season.
The St. Louis Cardinals have the fourth-best average (.260) and the third-highest OPS (.762).
Dazzling with his cutter and sinker, paired with an offspeed mix of a slider, changeup, and curveball, his dominant starts have the makings to be just the beginning of an impactful career in the Cubs rotation.
After years of development throughout the Chicago organization, 2022 saw Assad showcasing his progress in the minor leagues.
Beginning the year with Double-A Tennessee, an Eastern League second-best (min. 70 IP) 2.51 ERA in 14 starts saw a quick promotion to Triple-A Iowa.
Across just seven starts at the Triple-A level, a 2.95 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and career-best 5.29 K/BB provided the Cubs with everything they needed to see to give Assad the call.
While his strikeout figures are low, Assad’s ability to navigate out of high-leverage situations, especially against relentless offenses, has been incredibly impressive.
Bending, but not breaking, various innings against both the Cardinals and Blue Jays saw plenty of traffic on the base paths.
No matter though.
His earned runs on the year still stands at zero, exhibiting why he carried a 79.1% LOB percentage with Triple-A Iowa.
For a Cubs team that begins to look at an optimistically competitive 2023 MLB season, Assad will look to carry his string of starts at the Major League level while producing encouraging figures into next season.
In the long line of young arms set to be in Chicago’s future rotation, the right-hander has proven why he should be in the mix.
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