Chicago Cubs Pipeline is Developing Elite Pitching Staff

The Chicago Cubs' young pitching staff continues to produce at a high level, proving the organization is one of the best at developing young prospects.

The Chicago Cubs pitching staff went from strong expectations at the beginning of the year to major question marks in the middle of the season.

After bringing in veteran Jameson Taillon in free agency to bolster the rotation alongside Marcus Stroman, Kyle Hendricks and Justin Steele, there were rightful expectations that the team would have a strong rotation.

They got off to a reasonably good start overall, but then the rotation completely fell apart after the injury to Stroman, the struggles of Taillon and Hendricks, and a lack of good backend starting pitching.

It's been the young pitchers and rookies who have calmed the storm in recent weeks.

Rookies Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks are performing at high levels in the starting lineup, Steele is an NL Cy Young contender and the bullpen is full of exciting, young arms.

The Cubs have been able to develop the talent in their pipeline and gotten them ready to perform at the major league level.

Marquee Network player development analyst, Lance Brozdowski, spoke with The Athletic's Eno Sarris about Chicago's philosophy on pitching development in the minor leagues.

According to Brozdowski, they are a mold between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians.

"The Cubs are second to the Dodgers in minor-league four-seam velocity, so they value gas. They are top three in throwing the four-seam, like Cleveland," Sarris wrote after their conversation.

At the major league level, their starters aren't doing anything overwhelming when it comes to advanced pitching metrics.

Sarris writes, "The Cubs are 27th in Stuff+ as a starting rotation, 22nd overall, and their starters are seventh in Location+, so there is something to this idea that they are creating a rotation built more on command than stuff."

Whatever the reasoning is, it's been effective for Chicago this season as their young pitchers have had major impact on the team fighting for a playoff spot.

With other top pitching prospects continuing to develop in their minor league system, it will be exciting to see how those players perform when they eventually get called up.