Cubs Prospect Profile: Porter Hodge |
No one can deny that the Chicago Cubs not only have one of the best farm systems in baseball, but very easily could have the best before too long. You could also make the case that this is the best the farm system has ever been, including when they had Javy Baez, Kris Bryant, etc...
You have seen the overall improvement of the system in recent seasons as their entire Minor League organization is winning games, including back-to-back titles in consecutive seasons, with South Bend grabbing one in 2022 and Tennessee earning one in 2023. Success is contagious, and the recent success in the minors is evident when you look at the growth of some of these players. While the offensive numbers from some of these players are impressive, a big reason for the Cubs overall improvement as a farm system falls on the influx of pitching that Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins have brought into to play. That was always the plan for this team, but it took longer than anyone expected before the results started to show. Another reason for the Cubs dramatic uptick in their farm system success was having a bunch of lower-round guys step up in a big way and RHP Porter Hodge is a prime example of that. A 13th-round pick in 2019, no one knew what to expect from Hodge once he signed with the Cubs. Hailing from Cottonwood High School in Utah, Hodge went unnoticed by most scouts, but not the Cubs, as they signed him to a 125K entry-level contract. It was a risky move for sure, and you saw that early on in his professional career when Hodge posted a 6.44 ERA in his first two pro seasons with 2020 back surgery in between. It's not how anyone wants to start a professional career, especially not one that many people counted out before he even threw a pitch. Then came the 2022 season, where Hodge turned a corner and quickly became one of the best pitchers in the Cubs system. Across 25 games (24) starts that season between High-A South Bend and AA Tennessee, Hodge was brilliant on the mound, posting a 7-5 record with a 2.63 ERA. He walked 55 and struck out 141, which led all pitchers in the Cubs system that season. 2023 was a bit of a different story for Hodge as he got off to a terrible start before ultimately getting sent down to the pen. As tough of a decision as that was, it may have been the right move for Hodge as he started to look like the 2022 version of Hodge and not the 2023 version. The 6-7 record isn't terrible, but his 5.13 ERA is misleading, as he posted an ERA right around 3.00 in the season's final two months. His 49 walks were higher than he wanted, but with 103 strikeouts, he continues to show how good of a pitcher he can be when he is dialed in on the mound. Following that back surgery, Hodge knew he needed to start taking care of his body more and elected to work on his overall conditioning. Hodge also saw a 91 MPH heater turn into a 93 MPH heater that can max out at 96. The biggest reason for his sudden success falls on his breaking pitch, as the slider has gone to an entirely different level. From a velocity side, that slider still sits around 85 MPH, but with a wicked sweep that destroys righties and works as a back-foot pitch against lefties. To counter that against righties, Hodge goes with a 78 MPH curve to change the eye level of the hitters while his 88 MPH straight change is being thrown for more strikes, leading to another off-speed offering he can throw at any point in the count. At 6-4 and 230 pounds, Hodge has the frame that can handle a starter-like workload and can take on an even more significant workload if needed. Despite that, there are some mixed opinions about him, similar to Kohl Franklin, regarding whether he is better suited as a starter or reliever. We have seen him at his best and worst as a starter, but we have also seen him become one of the better multi-inning reliever threats in all of MILB. If Hodge wants to make it in the MLB, or at least have another shot at starting, he'll need to refine his control and a third pitch. His fastball/slider combination might make him a high-leverage option if he becomes a reliever. That is the play the Cubs are taking with him right now, and should it work out, look for him to potentially contribute by 2025.
