Chicago Cubs Add Another Bullpen Option, Sign Ben Heller to Minor League Deal

The Chicago Cubs have added another bullpen arm to the mix by signing Ben Heller to a minor league deal.

Jun 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Ben Heller (60) pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the tenth inning at PNC Park. The Twins won 11-5 in ten innings / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Following two years of having an unreliable bullpen that cost them a spot in the playoffs twice, the Chicago Cubs made sure to address those issues early and often this offseason.

They traded for Eli Morgan and claimed Rob Zastryzny off waivers as two of their notable additions, both players who should be able to get batters out at a consistent rate.

But Jed Hoyer was still looking to add more arms to the mix, something he was able to accomplish by signing Ben Heller to a minor league contract, per Andrew Destin of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Selected by the Cleveland Guardians in 2013, he was traded to the New York Yankees ahead of the deadline three years later and made his Major League debut that season.

Unfortunately, after just 19 starts across the 2016 and 2017 campaigns, he underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2018 that caused him to miss that entire year and only make nine outings the following season.

Heller was later designated for assignment by the Yankees in 2021 before being outright released, something that started his journeyman career by being part of five different organizations.

The right-hander has a 4.65 ERA across his 58 outings that has spanned five years in the Majors, striking out 61 batters in 62 innings pitched.

One area the Cubs are hoping he improves is his control.

His 1.516 WHIP and 32 walks with 12 batters hit by a pitch is not a good sign for his ability to become a real weapon for Chicago out of the bullpen this year, but since he joined on a minor league deal, it's a low-risk move that could work out if he is able to piece everything together.