Are Cubs Considering Promotion of Top Pitching Prospect For Playoff Impact?

The Chicago Cubs could wind up getting some innings from an unlikely source down the stretch.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have been among the best teams in baseball all season long, and while they have won a ton of games as currently constructed and look like a contender, there are still some issues.

Of course, consistency and performance from stars is always going to be needed in order to win a championship, and Chicago has struggled with that over the last couple of months following a historic first half of the season on offense. The issue with this team though -- at least the primary one -- has been pitching, and more specifically, pitching depth.

Individuals like Shota Imanaga and rookie sensation Cade Horton have had wonderful years, however the Cubs have not had the kind of depth needed to make a deep run for most of the season. When the trade deadline passed without a legitimate difference maker being added, Chicago realized they were going to have to get creative.

Their top pitching prospect -- who they just called up to Triple-A -- could be just the way to do that, and it certainly seems like they are at least considering it.

Are Cubs Preparing Jaxon Wiggins For Late Season MLB Debut?

Aug 30, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) walks off the field after questioning a call during the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

In a Monday article from Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required), Mooney pointed out how Chicago considered last year promoting Horton late

"For a manager who is constantly thinking about “out-getters” and “the innings puzzle,” Wiggins looms as an intriguing option, either for depth or maybe even October impact," Mooney wrote, adding context from Craig Counsell himself which seems to indicate they are at the very least open to the idea.

"There’s a ways to go before we get there,” Counsell said of promoting Wiggins. “But we thought about the challenge of Triple A for the last three weeks of the season. And then who knows what could happen?"

In his debut for Triple-A Iowa -- a game Mooney revealed Counsell kept a close eye on -- Wiggins threw three innings and gave up two hits and one earned run with four strikeouts to one walk, an impressive showing from the 23-year old.

Cubs' top rated pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins first Triple-A outing is over, he exits after 3 innings and Iowa leading 3-1.

Wiggins' line: 3.0 IP | 2 H | 1 R | 1 BB | 4 K (46 pitches - 25 strikes)

Watch: https://t.co/BOp9DrBnf9 pic.twitter.com/yGcRXGX21F

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 7, 2025

Wiggins dominated in High-A to start the year before being promoted to Double-A Knoxville, where he posted a 1.93 ERA over 10 starts with a 0.929 WHIP alongside 52 strikeouts compared to just 17 walks in 42 innings pitched. He will need to continue to look comfortable in Triple-A in order to have any shot of being called up this year, but clearly he immediately becomes a name to keep an eye on.

If the Cubs feel like he would be able to help them in October even just out of the bullpen, it's absolutely not crazy to possibly consider calling him up.

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