Cubs Top Pitching Prospect Jaxon Wiggins Returns Following Multi-Month Absence
After battling elbow inflammation, Chicago's flamethrowing right-hander dominated in his rehab return. Now, the top prospect eyes a Triple-A comeback.
Video Transcript
What is up Cubs fans, and welcome back to Cubs Roundtable.
I'm Joey Polizzi, talking about all things Cubs.
And the Cubs top pitching prospect, Jackson Wiggins, has finally returned to the mound.
Wiggins started for the South Bend High-A Cubs on Sunday, marking his second appearance since injuring his right elbow back in early April.
Wiggins also started a game at the rookie ball level for the Arizona Complex Cubs last week, and has now went on to the High-A Cubs, where he's moved up his rehab assignment.
And on Sunday, Wiggins looked good in his first start at High-A.
At this level, Wiggins threw two and two-third innings of one run ball with one hit allowed, couple walks, and three strikeouts.
The only damage against Wiggins in this game was a change-up that got the lower part of the zone that the Padres prospect at the high level at Fort Wayne got a hold of for a solo home run.
Outside of that, Wiggins looked really good, looked poised on the mound, threw 49 pitches, 27 strikes.
And for the Cubs, it's just, it's big that he's back.
It's big that he's back to finally being healthy, because he's been out since April 5th due to right elbow inflammation, but he has looked progressed well and has looked good in his two rehab assignment starts.
The expectation now is that he should go back to Triple-A, where he was to start the season.
And the key for him is just developing more on the mound and getting more starts under his belt at the Triple-A level.
Wiggins has only made five starts at the Triple-A level in his professional career, so he's gotta make more starts, and if he does want to be called up later this year by the Cubs, he's gotta perform well and has to stay healthy the rest of the year.
Obviously, Wiggins has dealt with some injuries over his career.
Tommy John surgery coming into his professional career, then dealt with some arm fatigue, shoulder fatigue last year, missed about a month, and this year missed about two and a half months due to right elbow inflammation.
But the big news, the good news, is that he is back and finally healthy, and that is a big thing for his development.
But let me know what you guys think about Wiggins being back.
Do you think he'll be called up later this year?
Let me know down below.
And as always, guys, go Cubs go.
