For the first time since he got hurt in Milwaukee last July, Kyle Hendricks threw off a mound Friday afternoon at Sloan Park.

At the first day of full-team workouts for the Cubs, owner Tom Ricketts addressed the team and Seiya Suzuki made a pitch to Shohei Ohtaini.

The Cubs laid out a full-court press on Jameson Taillon and it worked, selling the righty on why the two sides were a perfect fit.

Cubs director/VP of pitching and assistant general manager Craig Breslow joins the podcast to discuss the organization’s pitching infrastructure.

The Cubs pitching staff has flipped the script in the second half of the season and it bodes well for the future of the organization.

Cubs pitching coordinator Casey Jacobson is working with Craig Breslow and others to maximize pitching development in the farm system.

Adbert Alzolay’s maturation into an impact big-league starter began last summer at the Cubs alternate site and there have been plenty of people that have helped him along the way.

The Cubs continue to mix and match in their bullpen, adding another new reliever to the mix Sunday as Alec Mills hit the injured list.

If the Cubs are going to win a second straight division, they’re going to need to lean heavily on their pitching infrastructure.

In acquiring four prospects without much – or any – professional experience, the Cubs are putting a lot of faith in their player development infrastructure.