Chicago Cubs Sign Journeyman Free Agent Right-Handed Pitcher

The Chicago Cubs made a free agent signing this week to add to the pitching staff.

Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Chicago Cubs have made a transaction in free agency.

According to a post from his personal social media accounts, right-handed pitcher Brooks Kriske has inked a deal with the Cubs that will likely be in the minor leagues, although, there has not been an official announcement from the team.

As Kriske said in his post, he grew up as a fan of Chicago, but was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB draft by the New York Yankees.

Suffering an injury that required Tommy John surgery, Kriske missed his first entire season, but he recovered and began to quickly climb the minor league ladder.

Ranked by Baseball America as a top-30 prospect, he was eventually called up to pitch for the Yankees.

Kriske made his Major League debut during the 2020 season and things did not go well.

After he posted a 14.73 ERA in four appearances and 3.2 innings with New York, he began the 2021 campaign in Triple-A.

In eight MLB appearances after being called up again, Kriske struggled with a 15.26 ERA.

Things got particularly bad when he threw what tied a modern-era record four wild pitches in a single inning to blow a save. He was optioned to Triple-A and designated for assignment following the game.

The Baltimore Orioles claimed him two days later and he posted a 12.27 ERA over 3.2 innings the rest of that season for them. The ensuing fall, Kriske was released by the Orioles and he chose to pursue an international opportunity with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of NPB where he had one of his best professional years to date.

Over 21 innings with Yokohama, Kriske posted a 2.57 ERA that earned him a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals in 2023 where he had a 4.05 ERA over 6.2 innings.

Kriske was granted another release and signed with the Saitama Seibu Lions down the stretch of the 2023 campaign, and posted good international numbers once again in Japan with 1.93 ERA in 14 innings.

Signing a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds ahead of the 2024 season, Kriske had solid spring training and Triple-A numbers, but never got to pitch at the major league level in 2024 after being DFA'd and claimed by the Orioles once again, posting average numbers across eight appearance for Norfolk.

Now, during what has been a roller coaster of a last five years, he restarts his career once again, this time with the Cubs, as he will try to rise up the ranks and get back to the big leagues once again.