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Cubs pitching prospect lands on injured list

1 year agoAndy Martinez

One of the Cubs’ top pitching prospects landed on the IL Wednesday.

Ben Brown was placed on the 7-day IL, per the Iowa Cubs transactions. The injury has not been disclosed. Brown last pitched on Sunday against Memphis, striking out 4 and allowing 1 run on 4 hits and 4 walks in 5 innings.

Acquired in the David Robertson trade last year, Brown was added to the 40-man roster this offseason. He started the year at Double-A Tennessee and posted a 0.45 ERA in 4 starts before being bumped up to Triple-A. He was solid in his first month at Triple-A, with a 1.25 WHIP, 3.75 ERA and a 36% strikeout rate.

Overall, in Iowa, Brown has a 4.85 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 65 innings with a 32% strikeout rate and a .218 batting average against. Brown was knocking on the door for a shot at the big leagues. The Cubs have two starters in Iowa on the 40-man roster — Brown and Caleb Kilian, so Brown was a potential candidate to fill in for the Cubs if their rotation suffered any setbacks.

Hayden Wesneski was recalled last week to start against the Cardinals with Drew Smyly to piggyback off him. Wesneski has remained in the bullpen and pitched 2 innings in relief in Tuesday night’s 20-9 win over the Reds. Javier Assad has been stellar in long relief for the Cubs, posting a 0.40 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in his last 9 games (22.1 IP).

The Cubs traded away some starting depth ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, sending Adrian Sampson (along with reliever Manuel Rodríguez and international bonus pool money) to Tampa Bay for RHP Josh Roberson. Sampson made 19 starts for the Cubs in 2022.

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