Chicago Cubs Rookie Flamethrower Impresses in Debut

The Chicago Cubs called up a rookie reliever for reinforcements and he opened eyes in his debut.

Feb 27, 2024; Mesa, Arizona, USA; General view of a Chicago Cubs glove, hat and glasses in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game at Sloan Park / Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have had a disappointing season thus far in their first year under new manager Craig Counsell. The offense has sputtered and the bullpen has been ineffective for most of the season.

But, the team recently called up a reliever, Hunter Bigge, who provided a glimmer of hope in his debut.

The Harvard alum made his first MLB appearance on Tuesday, and was electric in his outing against the Baltimore Orioles.

In his one inning of work, the rookie didn't allow a hit and recorded a strikeout. That punchout came on a 100 mph fastball that Ryan O'Hearn watched zip past him.

Bigge was dominant at Triple-A Iowa in his 11 outings. Over 11.2 innings, the right-hander allowed just one run for a 0.77 ERA while also striking out 19 batters for a 14.7 K/9.

The 26-year-old isn't just a lockdown reliever, he is a good story, too.

Drafted in the 12th round, the righty has had an injury riddled minor league career before finally getting the call to the big leagues. In 2021, he tore a labrum and only pitched in 17 games. Before the 2024 season, he dealt with an oblique issue.

When he got the call following the Colton Brewer injury, he was emotional.

"I flashed back through a lot of memories of playing in high school, playing in college, getting drafted, going through the ups and downs of pro ball. All the hard work and time that I put in and all the sacrifices my family and I have made to get to this point," he told Marquee Sports.

All of these emotions boiled over and Bigge cried upon hearing the news that he would be joining the big league club. He wasn't the only one that was excited, though.

"Somebody that we've definitely been thinking about for a while with Hunter," said manager Craig Counsell. "He hasn't had a ton of outings this year but in every outing, he's really impressed."

Not only was the Cubs brass excited about the reliever coming into the season, but he gave them them reason to be in his minor league work and Major League debut. It hasn't always been easy for Bigge, though. Even through the injuries, he struggled in 2023, posting a 4.50 ERA in 42 appearances.

Confidence helped him change in 2024.

"A lot of it was confidence, trusting in my stuff and the shapes of my pitches and being confident and filling up the zone. I think I've been able to attack hitters better this year," he said.

With struggling pitchers such as closer Hector Neris, as well as Hayden Wesneski and Drew Smyly, Bigge could be a major addition to Chicago's bullpen moving forward.