Photo: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cubs Sign RHP Chris Flexen to Minor-League Deal

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Bobby Foster | Last updated Feb 18, 2025 1:46 AM ET

As pitchers and catchers begin to sharpen their craft in the desert, Jed Hoyer is continuing to work the phones with his latest addition. Veteran right-handed pitcher Chris Flexen is the newest name in Chicago Cubs camp after agreeing to a deal on Monday.

Flexen carved out a nice role for the historically bad Chicago White Sox in 2024 as an innings eater in the starting rotation. While he probably won't have that same role for the Cubs, he could provide solid depth in Triple-A Iowa at the very least.

While the White Sox were a revolving door, Flexen was able to make 30 starts in the rotation. That's rare in this day and age given pitching injuries. Especially for a team that was so bad, his 4.95 ERA was a mountain among men for the most part.

The Cubs are bringing some interesting arms into this camp. Adding Tyler Zombro to the pitching department was a big get in the offseason. It appears that he is putting his fingerprints on invites as well.

While Flexen comes from an organization that has it's own pitching guru in Brian Bannister, the Cubs counter with Zombro.

Once again, the team is taking a low-risk path when it comes to organizational depth. If the righty can impress in Spring Training, he could very well make it as apart of a crowded bullpen right now while serving as starting depth if injuries occur.

More than anything, it will be fascinating to see how the pitching staff shakes out. Compared to 2024, the Cubs have a lot more interesting guys with high potential to contribute in a big way. Will those players hit that potential in 2025? It remains to be seen, but more than ever the Cubs could find some diamonds in the rough through the organization and under-the-radar moves like Flexen.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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