Chicago Cubs Season in Review: Hayden Wesneski

Hayden Wesneski, one of the top prospects in the Chicago Cubs organization, looked masterful in his first Major League stint.

As the 2022 MLB trade deadline opened up, the Chicago Cubs shockingly traded Scott Effross to the New York Yankees for Hayden Wesneski. Despite being arguably the best reliever on the roster and signed beyond this season, Effross was flipped for a young prospect in Wesneski.

Luckily for the Cubs, the return piece in the trade appears to be a star in the making, after making the most of his first stint with the club. The 24-year-old right-hander joined the Cubs down the stretch and gave David Ross plenty to rave about.

Most of Wesneski's 2022 campaign was spent down in Triple-A where he started 23 of his 24 appearances and bosted a 3.92 ERA over 110.1 innings of work. Following the trade to Chicago, the young pitcher started four games and appeared in one out of the bullpen but struggled.

His first five outings with the Iowa Cubs featured a 5.66 ERA across 20.2 innings, which was quite the shock. Dating back to college, Wesneski had never pitched that poorly. 

With injuries decimating the rotation and the future in mind, Wesneski got his chance to pitch in the Major Leagues to finish the season, and he did not disappoint. He made his first appearance on Sept. 6 against the Cincinnati Reds, tossing five innings of two-hit, shutout baseball out of the bullpen. Wesneski struck out eight batters in his remarkable debut.

He came out of the bullpen for his next appearance as well, giving up three runs in 3.2 innings. Despite a bit of a rough showing, Wesneski was given a spot in the rotation to finish the season.

Ross gave his young pitcher four starts to wrap up his inaugural season with the club. As a starter, Wesneski went 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA in 24.1 innings of work. He also struck out 22 batters while walking only five, as he really made a statement.

The stint was short and had some hiccups along the way but Hayden Wesneski was absolutely filthy with the Cubs in 2022. He finished with 33 strikeouts in as many innings and accumulated an ERA of just 2.18 in six appearances. He provided length as a starter and out of the bullpen for a team that desperately needed it. 

Chicago has a handful of pitching prospects ready to make an impact in the near future. Wesneski has a foot in the door and has every reason to be excited about next season. Regardless of where he starts the 2023 season — Triple-A, starting with the Cubs or coming out of the bullpen — there is plenty to build on. 

Final Grade: B+

Aside from one poor showing, Wesneski did a really good job of managing the MLB landscape. He utilized his strong arm and sweeping curveball to get outs in big moments. His Triple-A struggles are meaningful, but his MLB succes is even more noticeable. 

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