Is Brandon Hughes the next Chicago Cubs closer?
The Chicago Cubs have two left-handed relievers in their bullpen. Naturally, the rookie is the best of the two.
Making his Major League debut this past May, 26-year-old Brandon Hughes has been a dominant fireman for the Cubs since the beginning of July.
Taken by Chicago in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB draft, Hughes got his first chance with the Cubs organization as a pitcher in 2019. Drafted as a center fielder, Hughes' bat couldn't cut it even at the minor league level.
So, during the winter of 2018-19, Hughes made the switch. He transitioned from a defense-first outfielder, to a crafty reliever. Quickly, the switch paid dividends. That summer Hughes pitched 32 2/3 innings for a 3.31 ERA.
His 2020 season lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hughes came back and pitched 2021 with a vengeance. Across 42 innings at High-A and Double-A, he posted a 1.71 ERA, striking out 60 and walking just 17.
Hughes served notice that he was ready to join the big league squad early in 2022, surrendering not one run across 16 2/3 innings at Double-A and Triple-A.
In 38 appearances this year with the Cubs, the Michigan State product has carried a 3.07 ERA across 41 innings, earning three saves. He relies primarily on his four-seam fastball and slider, throwing the pair over 90% of the time.
With 52 strikeouts on the season, it’s not surprising that his electric stuff ranks him amongst the top 93rd-percentile in whiff percentage and in the 87th-percentile in strikeout percentage of all Major League pitchers.
Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Brandon Hughes on the mound at Wrigley Field.
© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Cubs manager David Ross has reaped the benefits of having a reliever like Hughes on his staff; Chicago currently has the seventh-best relief pitching ERA (3.88) in the National League in the same month that Hughes delivered his career-high in innings pitched (12 2/3).
August and July have seen Hughes pitch to a 1.96 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 23 innings.
Amongst all of the Cubs relievers this season he ranks first in strikeouts and K/9, placing second in K/BB, trailing only the departed Scott Effross.
While the Cubs find themselves on a hot August stretch, Hughes has proven he can be a reliable arm coming out of the bullpen this season. As the season focus shifts towards the optimism of 2023, he can be counted as a left-handed pillar on the relief staff.
Time will tell if he could even be transformed into the closing role.
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