Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Cubs Purchase the Contract of Kyle McGowin

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Bobby Foster | Last updated 5/10/24

It was announced on Thursday that the Chicago Cubs have purchased the contract of veteran pitcher Kyle McGowin. The former big leaguer comes from the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League. It is assumed that McGowin will be making his way to Triple-A Iowa.

Once again the Cubs are searching high and low for pitching depth. Their last dip into the independent ranks was a reunion with Dan Straily. This time, they'll be acquiring a pitcher with recent experience at the MLB level.

McGowin pitched from 2018-2021 as a member of the Washington Nationals' bullpen. The veteran has since spent time in the Houston Astros' organization and various other leagues since the start of the 2023 season.

His career 5.98 ERA is nothing special, but obviously, the Cubs see something in the reliever's ability to want to bring him into their pitching lab.

As the bullpen remains shaky, the Cubs have made it no secret in their pursuit of quality depth in that department. It's smart business for the team to scout near and far for any pitching they see something in.

Throughout his career, he has relied on his off-speed pitches. His slider is his bread-and-butter pitch. Something that Cubs' scouts appear to see a lot of potential in to develop further.

⭐️

Kyle McGowin (@KyleMcGowin), being his usual nasty self, making hitters extremely uncomfortable. With a Horizontal Approach Angle of -6, that slider is absurd.

#cspfamily #freeagent pic.twitter.com/QDcWHtFGg1
— Cressey Sports Performance (@CresseySP) February 12, 2024

He may not reach the majors, but it doesn't hurt the Cubs to take a flier on someone like McGowin. With an expansive resume that includes time in China, it will be interesting to see if he can have a successful stint at the MLB level.

For the Cubs to have any chance at making the postseason though, bigger acquisitions to the bullpen still need to be made. Low-risk moves like this are fine, but proven track records should be placed at a higher emphasis.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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