Older Chicago Cubs Draft Pick Quickly Showing Signs of Potential

The Chicago Cubs may have lucked out as an older prospect has begun to show signs of growth.

Brandon Birdsell (36) makes the first pitch during the South Bend Cubs vs. Lansing Lugnuts Minor League Baseball game at the Four Winds Field in South Bend, Indiana on June 8, 2023. / Mattie Neretin / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Chicago Cubs pitching staff was much better than expected this season and could have even more help on the way soon.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter took a look around MLB to find the breakout stars of the minor leagues so far this season. For the Cubs, Brandon Birdsell has jumped off the page.

"[He] spent one season at Texas A&M, one season at San Jacinto JC and two seasons at Texas Tech before going in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. The 6'2", 240-pound right-hander has moved quickly through the minors, and with a 3.97 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 99.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he is knocking on the MLB door."

The 24-year-old was already a bit older when he was drafted, but that put the pressure on him to develop quickly.

After just two years in the Chicago farm system, he could be promoted soon.

While in college, he improved quickly after splitting time between both the rotation and bullpen. By his final season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, he had become a full-time starter.

Between three Division-1 collegiate seasons, he had a 3.04 ERA with a lot of strikeouts and fairly high home run numbers.

The home run rate has been known to be high still, but he's made progress with his strikeouts while cutting down mightily on his walks.

The problem is that batters are hitting much more frequently against him.

Last month, batters slashed .313/.360/.410 against him. While not a career-worst batting average and not walking players, a .769 OPS is not at all what a pitcher wants against him.

He's consistently done a bit better against right-handed batters, though they do hit better power against him.

The Texas native was once drafted by the Houston Astros, but went back to school and later was taken by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2022 draft.

He's getting up there in age in terms of prospects, but that shouldn't sour his potential. The righty is the fifth-oldest player in the Chicago Top-25 prospects.

In the farm system overall, he came in at No. 21 of all the Cubs players. He's the fifth-highest rated right-handed pitcher and sixth pitcher overall.

He's got a nice fastball with a solid slider. With the big league club, he projects as a reliever that can eat up innings fairly soon. The door is also open for him to become a back-of-the-rotation starter.