Jaxon Wiggins has given the Cubs something they can actually work with now, and it’s happening in the bullpen.
Craig Counsell said he didn’t realize Wiggins had shifted into relief for Triple-A Iowa after the right-hander was used out of the bullpen in the Minor League Field of Dreams game, but that move has quickly become a meaningful development for Chicago. Wiggins, 24, has stayed in that role and looked like the overpowering arm the Cubs have been waiting to see.
The results have been clean. Wiggins has thrown three scoreless innings over three appearances, struck out five of the 12 batters he’s faced and allowed no hits since the switch. He has issued three walks, but the bigger takeaway is that the stuff has played up in relief.
There is still one important detail that matters for any October conversation: he has not pitched on consecutive days. Between his first and second outings there were five days, and between his second and third there were three. That makes him a tougher fit for a postseason bullpen, where clubs usually need relievers who can bounce back faster.
That same concern is why Shelby Miller, despite how well he has looked during his minor-league rehab assignment, still has work left before he becomes a real option. The Cubs also do not need to rush Miller, since he is under contract for the 2027 season.
Wiggins is in a different spot. He is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason, and whether that draft actually happens in December remains to be seen. Even so, the Cubs will need to add him to the 40-man roster before December 1.
If Wiggins keeps dealing for Iowa, the path for September is pretty straightforward: protect him, put him on the 40-man roster and bring him up as a call-up.
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The Cubs are being deliberate with his recovery, and for good reason. If Miller comes back healthy, he could offer the kind of bullpen support Chicago has been missing, with the potential to matter in 2026 if everything keeps trending the right way. For a relief corps that has struggled to find consistency, even the possibility of a useful late-inning arm is a meaningful one. [Read more 🡒]