Chicago Cubs Promising Reliever Silencing Doubters Early On
Much of the discussion surrounding Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Keegan Thompson in MLB Spring Training was about his velocity or lack thereof.
The 28-year-old got a late start to the Cactus League schedule, knowing his role this season was strictly going to be from the bullpen.
Thompson pieced together a perfect spring, fanning seven batters in 7.0 innings while holding batters to a .080 batting average.
Still, the concern about his fastball velocity being below his usual average of 94-mph left many to wonder if he would struggle when the Cubs opened their season.
It's a small sample size, but the team's third-round pick in 2017 has been one of the most reliable bullpen arms out of the gate and really dating back to last season.
Thompson appeared in the Cubs' Opening Day win against the Milwaukee Brewers, fanning one in his only inning of work.
With Jameson Taillon struggling in his debut against the Reds, Thompson gave the bullpen a much-needed rest, completing 3.1 innings on 32 pitches while striking out three batters and allowing no walks.
Again, it's early, but his maximum exit velocity (98.4-mph), expected batting average (.099), expected slugging percentage (.171), expected weighted on-base average (.153), and expected ERA (1.00) are all within the top eight-percent of the league.
Thompson's fastball has averaged just under 93-mph, but he's complemented it so well with his other pitches that it's a non-factor early on. He's featuring an uptick in both his cutter and curveball, with the latter yielding a 40.0-percent whiff rate.
Early results are encouraging to observe. Obviously, there's a long way to go, but Thompson has put any concerns about his velocity to bed through the first two series of the 2023 campaign.
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