The Cubs have selected the contract of left-handed pitching prospect Brailyn Marquez, the team announced. Infielder/outfielder Patrick Wisdom has been designated for assignment to create roster room.
Marquez is expected to make his Major League debut in today’s game, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian). The plan is for Marquez to toss an inning of work that could serve as an audition for the postseason roster.
With a fastball that hits the 100mph threshold, Marquez represents a very intriguing x-factor for the Cubs’ playoff run if he can adjust quickly to big league hitters. The 21-year-old has never even pitched in Double-A ball, posting a 3.19 ERA, 2.84 K/BB rate, and 10.1 K/9 over 257 innings in Chicago’s farm system.
An international signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2015, Marquez emerged on top-100 prospect lists prior to the 2020 season. Baseball America ranked him 37th on their list, with MLB.com (68th), Keith Law (80th), and Baseball Prospectus (84th) all being a bit more reserved in their praise. BA’s scouting report cited Marquez’s potential front-of-the-rotation arsenal, including his big fastball, a “spike slider,” and also a changeup that was lacking in polish as a legitimate third pitch.
If everything is working, Marquez could be an ace of the future, though the issue is that his delivery doesn’t lend itself to repetition. Law thinks Marquez will eventually end up as “a very high-end closer” who can pitch multiple innings, and the Cubs certainly wouldn’t mind a preview of that potential future in this year’s playoffs, though obviously the long-term goal is that Marquez will develop into a quality starter.
Good move! Hoping he’s a post season piece. A lefty who throws 101
Not sure he’s eligible for the postseason. I remember hearing that a player had to be on the roster by September 1 to be eligible.
Pretty sure that’s not applicable this year. I think he’s still eligible.
He’s eligible.
You had to be in the organization by 9/15 to be eligible. He’s eligible for the playoffs.
He was in the 60 player pool so he’s eligible.
Tru dat
Great to see, he is a big piece of the future for the Cubs.
2021 Rotation:
1. Darvish
2. Hendricks
3. Alzolay
4. Maqruez
5. Veteran starter (Likely bring Lester back on a 1 year deal)
Not a bad rotation, Alzolay and Marquez are going to have a lot of growing pains in 2021 but Cubs will likely be taking a step back and re-tool for 2022 and beyond anyhow.
Drop the crack pipe
What’s so insane about what he said?
Probably a Sox fan lol
Marquez won’t be in the rotation until at least mid season 2021.
Like the 4 players in future rotation but go big and get Bauer
Bauer
Darvish
Hendricks
Alzolay
Marquez
Stroman would be nice if no Bauer
Wise move.
beat me to it. though i would have said unwise
Good call.
AlzolayDay on Marquez Network
Judging by today’s performance I don’t think he’ll be looked at to do much.
Wrigleyhawkeye, really? Whatever you do in life are you better then when you first started ? What was Mike Trout or Mickey Mantle in their first game ? Tom Brady throw a pick? Get of them the suck? Wow
Dude he’s never pitched above Single A Ball. Did you expect him to strike out 10?