Chicago Cubs Former Top Prospect Finally Looks Ready For Breakout Season

It's still early, but the Chicago Cubs seem to be getting the version of one of their former top prospects that earned him that status.

Sep 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Hayden Wesneski (19) / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs acquired a Top 10 prospect from the New York Yankees in 2022 when they were selling off their best assets when it was clear they wouldn't make the playoffs.

This approach is one of the reasons why they currently have one of the best pipelines in all of Major League Baseball.

But, to truly reap the benefits of these types of moves, the prospects have to develop into competant players when called up to the MLB.

After landing Hayden Wesneski from the Yankees in 2022, they were hoping he would turn into the pitcher that had a 3.55 ERA across 49 minor league appearances and 47 starts in 2021 and 2022.

The Cubs gave him a shot later in the same year they acquired him, and the right-hander performed well, posting a 2.18 ERA over six appearances and four starts in 33 innings of work.

However, he had a roller coaster season in 2023 where he kept bouncing back and forth between their MLB roster and Triple-A affiliate. He never quite found his footing and ended up with a 4.63 ERA in his 34 games and 11 starts.

Again, Chicago decided to start Wesneski out in the minors coming out of camp before they called him up because of the many injuries that their pitching staff has suffered.

So far, the former top prospect is living up to his previous hype.

The right-hander has appeared in three games for the Cubs so far, starting one of them. He has a 0.87 ERA over 10 1/3 innings pitched, including giving up one run in four innings during his lone start against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

If they can continue to get this type of production from Wesneski throughout his third season in the MLB, then their pitching staff will have found an important piece that is desperately needed right now.

Despite some upgrades to their relief staff this winter, Chicago still has struggled as a unit. Their 4.68 ERA ranks them 22nd in the league.

The 26-year-old could emerge as an important arm in their bullpen, or he might finally turn into the starter that he was projected to be during the early part of his minor league career.

All that depends on Wesneski finding more consistency, something that he has shown so far.