Cubs Prospect Focus: Jordan Wicks |
Any time you wind up on a top 10 list, you know you are doing something well. For the Chicago Cubs 2021 first-round pick Jordan Wicks, not only does he land on one top 10 list, but two as he is poised for big things in 2023. Listed as the Cubs No. 5 prospect, Wicks also was named the second-best left-hander in Minor league baseball.
That alone is a telling ranking when you look at how many highly regarded lefties there are in the game. After being lightly recruited in high school, Wicks committed to Kansas St, where he ended up being one of the best pitchers in Wildcats baseball history. He earned Freshman of the year in 2019 and set Kansas State school records for single-season (118) and career (230) strikeouts during his final season in Manhatten. Those are the numbers that most of the scouts paid attention to, including the Cubs, who drafted him as their No. 1 overall pick in 2021. Despite being taken No. 21 overall, the Cubs compensated Wicks well and gave him better than three million dollars to join the Cubs organization. Unlike most players that get sent to the Rookie League upon being drafted, Wicks did some working out on his own and ended up landing in South Bend for the remainder of the 2021 season. During his time with the Cubs, he made four starts and posted a 5.14 ERA over seven innings of work. Numbers-wise that isn't great, but it was expected as he bypassed Rookie Ball and was sent straight to full-season ball. With minimal starts under his belt, Wicks returned to South Bend in 2022, where he became more confident and comfortable. That was evident across his 16 starts that summer, as he went 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA. Not only that, but his command was impressive as he walked just 17 compared to 86 punchouts. That body of work earned him a late-season promotion, where he moved on to AA to finish the season. Although he struggled at times with Tennessee, Wicks got into a groove over his final few outings to finish 0-3 with a 4.18 ERA in eight appearances. Look for him to begin the season with AA this year and end with AAA Iowa if all goes well. The biggest compliment anyone can give Wicks at this point is his player comparison, as he is very similar to Cole Hamels. I am not talking about the Hamels the Cubs had in 2018, but instead, the Hamels that dominated the National League during the early 2010s as he emerged as one of the premiere left-handers in the game. Watching Wicks pitch, you can see why there are Hamels' comparisons, as his fastball tends to sit in the 91-94 MPH range. However, similar to Hamels, the change sets Wicks apart as his change was the best secondary offering in the 2021 class. Not only can he throw it for strikes at any point in the count, but at 80 MPH, it is a lethal pitch that can get both lefties and righties out. Along with the change, Wicks has two other secondary pitches and has improved his low-80s slider during his last season of college, turning it into a solid third offering. He can also modify that pitch into a harder cutter and owns an upper-70s curveball. To say he has a diverse pitch mix would be an understatement, but one the Cubs are counting on for years to come. Outside of the command, the results, and the overall potential, you have to love the effortless delivery that Wicks brings with him. Not only does that make it easy to repeat, but it helps him pound the strike zone on either side of the plate, making it difficult for hitters to do anything against him. In addition to his advanced stuff and command, he stands out with his creativity and competitiveness on the mound. He comes with a high floor as a near-certain starter and may not require much more than a year in the Minors before he's ready for Wrigley Field. Good things will be happening soon at Wrigley, and Wicks is on the fast track to being a part of those good things for a long time.
