Chicago Cubs Relief Pitcher Emerges As Top Rookie of 2024

Porter Hodge of the Chicago Cubs has emerged as a top rookie of 2024

Sep 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Porter Hodge (37) and catcher Miguel Amaya (9) celebrate a victory after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs ended a disappointing 2024 campaign, as they missed the playoffs and were pretty far back from the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central. 

This season, the Cubs were by no means a bad team, but they certainly were an inconsistent one that lacked some offseason punch at times. One real bright spot for Chicago is their starting rotation moving forward. 

The Cubs feature four starters who had excellent years in 2024, but unfortunately, the bullpen behind them was shaky for the most part. However, one reliever who performed well for Chicago was rookie Porter Hodge. 

The 23-year-old looks like a bright spot for years to come after getting a good amount of work this season. Recently, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranked Hodge as the 35th best rookie in the league this season. 

“The Cubs bullpen was extremely inconsistent this year, but the North Siders did unearth a potential gem in Hodge. A 13th-round pick in 2019 who began his career as a starter before shifting to the bullpen midway through 2023, he made his MLB debut on May 22 and was closing games by the end of the year. He finished with a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 while tallying nine saves and nine holds in 39 appearances.”

Hodge’s emergence this season should be a really encouraging thing for the Cubs, as he had an excellent rookie campaign. With a lot of opportunities for bigger roles in what was a disappointing bullpen for Chicago, the 23-year-old moved right up the ranks. 

Getting holds as a setup man and then moving into the closer role by the end of the season, the right-hander could very well be the closer for the Cubs to start the 2025 campaign. 

There is certainly a lot to like about Hodge as a prospect, as he has elite strikeout stuff with his 10.9 K/9. Also, he appears like he isn’t afraid of the moment, as it is very rare to see pitchers his age come up and start closing games in August and September. 

While Chicago will likely look to upgrade a few spots in their bullpen, the emergence and development of Hodge has warranted him getting a shot at closing games next season as well. If he continues to thrive in the role, it will be a huge boost for the Cubs as they try to chase down the Brewers in the NL Central.