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3 Early Spring Standouts For The Chicago Cubs
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- 3 Early Spring Standouts For The Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are about a week into Spring Training. They're set to play their seventh game this Thursday afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels .
That makes now a good time to evaluate where certain players are at this point in the offseason. Although we are still early in these Spring Training games, there are plenty of Cubs players who have already made an impact.
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Here are three players who have gotten off to a strong start in Spring Training.
Gavin Hollowell
Gavin Hollowell has easily been the best reliever for the Cubs this spring. He has struck out all six batters he faced in his two innings of work. He struck out the side against the White Sox on February 20 and struck out the side again against the Padres on February 24.
Hollowell was definitely on the outside looking in for a roster spot when Cubs camp began. But he's worked his way into serious contention for the Opening Day roster.
In his latest Spring Training outing on Tuesday, Hollowell quickly handled the seventh inning. He got three swings and misses, three called strikes, and struck out each Padres hitter with a different pitch: sinker, four-seam fastball, and sweeper.
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If he keeps pitching like this, the Cubs won't have any choice but to include Hollowell on the 26-man roster to start the season.
Pedro Ramirez
Cubs prospect Pedro Ramirez isn't competing for a roster spot this spring. Still, it's impressive to see what the 21-year-old has done offensively in his first few Spring Training games.
Ramirez is 3-for-7 (.429) with a double, two stolen bases, and two walks in his first 10 plate appearances. He's been hitting the ball well and remains a threat on the bases. Both are familiar traits for the Cubs' No. 7 prospect.
In 2025, Ramirez hit .280 with eight home runs, 73 RBI, and 28 stolen bases across 129 games at Double-A Knoxville. The young infielder has the potential to eventually be a solid Major League hitter who can steal upward of 25 bases each season.
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Cade Horton
Cade Horton made his spring debut against the Rockies on Wednesday, coming in to relieve starter Jameson Taillon . Unsurprisingly, he picked up right where he left off in his rookie season.
He threw two scoreless innings with one walk and two strikeouts. His fastball velocity was right around where it was in his rookie season (95.5 mph), and Horton induced four whiffs over his 26 pitches thrown.
It was nice to see Horton come out of the gate firing, especially after how his rookie year ended. The 24-year-old is looking to emerge as an ace in this Cubs rotation and has the potential to build off his 2025 campaign. He finished with a 2.67 ERA and 97 strikeouts across 118 innings pitched last season.
Honorable Mentions
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Jefferson Rojas
