Top Left-Handed Pitching Prospect Destined for Wrigley Mound

Seventh ranked Chicago Cubs prospect Jordan Wicks has found success in recent Double-A promotion

© Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Expected to find his way to the mound at Wrigley Field as early as next year, Cubs left-handed pitching prospect Jordan Wicks has shown strong promise during his second year in professional baseball. 

Selected by the Cubs with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2021 MLB draft, the Arkansas native began his time with the organization in High-A, starting 20 games there between 2021 and 2022.

Wicks throws four pitches, a fastball that sits in the low-90s, but tops out at 97 mph, a low-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball and what scouts consider to be “the best changeup” in his draft class. 

That changeup has a decrease of about 10 mph from his fastball, which he throws with the same arm speed to induce a "tumbling" action.

Promoted to Double-A Tennessee on July 15th, the 6-foot-3 lefty struggled initially. But now, it appears that Wicks has turned the corner in August and has begun to put up performances that warrant his promotion.

Across his first three starts in August, the left-hander allowing just one run in 13 innings, striking out 19 and just walking five.

In his first start of the month, an August 2nd matchup against the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Wicks set his Double-A high for strikeouts in a single game with eight, pitching five shutout innings.

Amongst all Cubs minor league pitchers who have thrown 80 or more innings this season, Wicks ranks second in strikeouts with 113, his K/9 also ranks second at 11.73 while he places fourth in K/BB ratio at 4.52.

As Wicks looks to close out a successful sophomore season, his recent performances add merit to his high pedigree. Wicks has given reason to believe that he can take the mound at Wrigley sooner, rather than later. 

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