The Cubs have signed right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. to a minor league deal, reports Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Leiter will be in major league camp competing for a spot on the roster.
Leiter, 32 in March, is coming off a strong campaign where he served as an optional depth arm for the Cubs. He made four starts and 31 relief appearances, tallying 67 2/3 innings with a 3.99 ERA. He struck out 25.9% of batters faced while walking 8.9% and getting grounders at a 48.9% clip. He also made six Triple-A starts, posting a 5.32 ERA despite a 34% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate. His batting average on balls in play was .333 in the minors versus .251 in the majors and his strand rate was also higher in the show.
That was a generally solid showing but Leiter got nudged off the roster in January when the club added Eric Hosmer. Leiter went unclaimed on waivers and was eligible to elect free agency by virtue of having had a previous career outright. After just over a week on the open market, Leiter is now a Cub again, though without a spot on the roster.
He’ll head to spring and try to earn his way back onto the 40-man, though he’ll have less roster flexibility if he succeeds. He’s now out of options, preventing the club from freely shuffling him to the farm and back, which they did four times last year.
The Cubs’ bullpen chart will likely be topped by Brandon Hughes and Brad Boxberger, followed by names like Adbert Alzolay, Rowan Wick, Julian Merryweather and Michael Rucker. Leiter will be competing with other non-roster invitees like Vinny Nittoli, Tyler Duffey and Eric Stout for a job in that mix. If he succeeds in getting back on the team, he can be cheaply retained for further seasons as he has just over two years of service time and has yet to qualify for arbitration.
Too good for nobody to claim him, including Texas
Hey man, can I borrow a Leiter?
You smoked that one.
Thanks for that, my mood is Leiter than before.
I’m surprised nobody put in a claim for him
few teams have the spot on the 40 this time of year.
53 innings is a really healthy sample size. Since this is a minor league deal, I think this is more about him wanting to stick with the Cubs.
Good point, Mookie. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs flip him in June when other teams relievers start experiencing the usual discomforts, tendernesses, strains and pulls that modern pitchers get shut down over.
Why flip him in June? What if the cubs are competing? No reason to give up that soon. It’s a 3 team nl central race. The cubs have a good team and will definitely compete this year.
Yeah… If he’s repeating his ’23 bullpen numbers, you want to retain him, not only for today, but next year(s). If he has regressed, there’s no trade value.
I guess the other scenario, the success rate on all the young arms is high and you have a large surplus of bullpen arms.
I’ve seen the discussion of “why Leiter and not” someone else DFA’d. Rucker being the main guy named. Not sure if this was the difference, but inherited runners; Rucker 5 of 23 (22%) v Leiter 5 of 14 (36%). FB Velocity – Rucker 94.9 v Leiter 91.2.
BTW, Hughes only allowed 5 of 30 (17%) inherited to score. You’d have to add context to those numbers, but that is elite.
He did well as a reliever in the bigs though.
53 innings at 2.87 ERA. Respectable K and walk %
His picture really shows a Leiter shade of pale.
Bullpen likely to be Alzolay, Thompson, Box-burger, Wick, Hughes, Estrada, Merryweather, Rucker, and possibly Leiter & Sampson in the mix now. There are also at least 4-6 other names in AAA that are expected to compete for a roster spot. All this and there is still a good chance the Cubs land one of Moore/Chafin as a FA.
If Thompson doesn’t make the rotation you also have to factor Wesneski, Assad, Killian and hopefully Heuer at some point.
I don’t think Thompson is really in the mix for a rotation spot. His performance last year in the pen was much better than in his starts. He and Alzolay would give the pen 2 guys who could go multiple innings or piggyback a start. Wesneski will be the fifth starter I believe.
I tend to agree with you and that’s is assuming Hendricks isn’t back. If he’s back it’s he and Smyly at 4-5 and everyone we have mentioned is in the pen.
I really don’t see a viable path for Leiter to be on this team. With no options, the shuttle value is gone and between us we’ve named at least eight pitchers, probably more, that are better than him.
I am sure that once they can do it guys like Roberts, Canario, and maybe Heuer will go on the 60 day IL, opening some 40 man roster spots.
Yes, Thompson and Alzolay in the BP. Leiter will probably have to spend time in Iowa to start the season since he’s not on the 40 man..
I think Alzolay could be the closer
Thompson should be the long relief guy for the cubs. Mayne a few spot starts here and there. I’d use him as the 8th inning guy. Chafin if they sign him as the closer. If it were me I would try to sign both Chafin and Moore
Imagine coming off a credible year yet losing your roster spot to….Eric Hosmer. Yeeechh
I was surprised he didn’t accept the Cubs demotion in the first place. I guess he tried to see what was out there and found out. Not much. I always thought he had a better chance to make the Cubs than anywhere else.
Glad he didn’t sign elsewhere. Love for him to be in the same role as last year. The young bullpen could use a veteran leader other than Wick.
These comment sections are getting Leiter by the minute
And the puns are getting worser.
I honestly think he has good late inning stuff. Good for the Cubs. Lucky he did not sign with another team. I don’t think he should of been designated in the first place. He was that impressive in his role late season.
Should have been Wick, in my opinion
With the addition of all the FAs they needed the 40 man spot.
The more pitchers the merrier. I don’t see the Cubs signing Moore/Chafin as a FA. Hoyer wants the financial flexibility at the trade deadline for a player that’s needed.
That is unless they compete and on paper they have a greatly improved team. There’s no reason to believe they can’t compete this year.
I will be heavily betting the under on Cub games with the current versions of Bellinger and Hosmer combined with the pitcher and catcher. Cubbies gonna be experiencing some offensive struggles.
Awesome- he should help shore up the bullpen this year. Risk of designating him paid off. Hope he is rewarded for his loyalty.