Proper-handed pitcher Brooks Kriske has agreed to a contract with the Cubs, the 30-year-old introduced himself on his Instagram and X accounts. It’s presumably a minor league deal, though the staff has not but confirmed the transfer and additional particulars haven’t been revealed.
After rising up a Cubs fan, Kriske was chosen by the Yankees within the 2016 draft. Though he was by no means a high prospect, the righty made a formidable comeback from early-career Tommy John surgical procedure and shortly rose via the ranks of the minor leagues. In August 2018, he was nonetheless pitching at Low-A after shedding a lot improvement time to damage. But, by July 2020, he was pitching for the massive league membership. Heading into the 2021 season, he earned a spot on the Yankees prospect lists at each FanGraphs (no. 34) and Baseball America (no. 28).
Sadly, the massive leagues have by no means been variety to Kriske. Over components of two seasons within the Bronx, he gave up 20 runs (19 earned) in 11 1/3 innings, good for a 15.09 ERA. He allowed six residence runs and walked greater than 20% of the batters he confronted. He additionally threw seven wild pitches – 4 of which got here in the identical inning. Following a very poor outing in September 2021, Kriske was optioned to Triple-A and designated for project just a few days later.
The Orioles should have appreciated what they noticed when Kriske held them scoreless and hitless throughout two appearances in 2020, placing out 4 of the eight batters he confronted. They scooped him up off of waivers, and he pitched in 4 extra video games down the stretch. But, his outcomes weren’t significantly better than they had been in New York. Whereas Kriske didn’t stroll any batters, he gave up 5 runs on two homers in 3 1/3 innings of labor. By the top of the 2021 marketing campaign, he had a profession 14.40 ERA, 5.11 SIERA, and -0.8 FanGraphs WAR.
Baltimore launched Kriske that fall, permitting him to signal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of NPB. A comparatively profitable season in Japan (21 IP, 2.57 ERA, 11.1 Okay/9) earned him a minor league cope with the Royals in December 2022. Nonetheless, Kriske struggled upon his return to affiliated ball. He pitched to a 5.52 ERA and 4.29 FIP over 29 1/3 innings at Triple-A Omaha. His 4.05 ERA over 6 2/3 MLB innings represented an enchancment, however his 16% stroll fee and 5.30 SIERA confirmed a pitcher who was nonetheless struggling to retire main league batters. Partway via the 2023 season, he was granted his launch to pursue one other alternative in Japan, this time with the Saitama Seibu Lions.
As soon as once more, Kriske regarded a lot sharper abroad, placing up a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings with the Lions over the rest of the 2023 marketing campaign. He determined to return again stateside final winter, inking a minor league pact with the Reds. Nonetheless, regardless of a robust efficiency in spring coaching (6 IP, 3.00 ERA, 8 Okay, 1 BB) and stable numbers at Triple-A Louisville (49 1/3 IP, 3.10 ERA, 36.7 Okay%, 4.06 FIP), he by no means obtained the prospect to pitch for Cincinnati on the huge league stage. The Reds chosen him to their 40-man roster in June (presumably to stop him from exercising an opt-out clause in his contract) however by no means truly known as him up. They DFA’d him two months later.
For the second time in three years, the Orioles claimed Kriske off of waivers, and he completed out the 2024 marketing campaign within the O’s group. Throughout eight appearances at Triple-A Norfolk, he pitched to a 5.00 ERA and 6.79 FIP in 9 innings of labor. He elected free company on the finish of the season.
Though he struggled late within the 12 months with the Norfolk Tides, Kriske nonetheless completed his age-30 season with respectable Triple-A numbers: a 3.39 ERA and 4.48 FIP over 58 1/3 innings. He struck out 34.2% of his opponents. Free passes proceed to be an issue for the righty – he walked 14.8% of hitters this previous season – however a excessive stroll fee is tolerable so long as he can keep such a excessive strikeout fee and hold residence runs at a manageable stage. He’ll present depth for the Cubs within the minor leagues, and the less batters he walks, the higher his possibilities of getting again to the massive leagues in 2025.