Inside The Cubs

Former Shortstop Could Be Cubs Next Star Pitcher

The former infielder could be the next big Chicago Cubs pitcher.

Dylan Sanders

Former Shortstop Could Be Cubs Next Star Pitcher
Former Shortstop Could Be Cubs Next Star Pitcher /
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The Chicago Cubs might have a found hidden gem of a pitcher and he actually came into the league as an infielder.

Ahead of the MLB's first Spring Breakout Series, the staff at MLB.com looked through each team's roster and named one player present that should be talked about more.

For the Cubs, they focused on right-handed pitcher Michael Arias.

The Toronto Blue Jays signed Arias as an international free agent back in 2018, but nothing ever came to fruition in the organization as he never appeared in a game.

After his release, Chicago took him and transitioned him into a pitcher in 2021. Quickly, the 22-year-old has made an impact on the mound and looks to have a lot of potential. 

Now he is the Cubs' No. 14 prospect according to MLB.com and has earned a spot on the team's 40-man roster.

He made the trip for Spring Training this season but has only made one appearance. He faced five batters. Two of them struck out, one was walked and two got hits. 

Arias is known for his pitching style that is somewhere between a normal release and a sidearm.

His MLB prospect page had this to say about his pitching style:

"While Arias' low arm slot and whippy arm action create deception and electric life, they also limit his ability to provide strikes. The movement on his pitches makes them difficult to land in the zone at times and he may never have enough control or command to be a starter."

He has a fastball that can reach high 90s, as well as two promising off-speed pitches.

He's the fourth-highest rated pitcher in Chicago's farm system and second-highest that projects as a reliever.

It's clear that despite him still being a work-in-progress, the team believes they can get something out of him.

Arias can be seen in the Cubs' Spring Breakout game on Friday against the Chicago White Sox.

Published
Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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