The Cubs claimed left-handed pitcher C.D. Pelham off waivers from the Rangers on Wednesday. The move comes one week after the Rangers designated Pelham for assignment to clear a spot on their 40-man roster.
Pelham, a hard-throwing lefty, reached the big leagues for a 10-game stint with the Rangers in 2018. He’s struggled at every level beyond Class A, however, which makes him a potential reclamation project for the Cubs’ bullpen entering next season.
The potential for Pelham seems obvious: He’ll be only 25 years old to start next season, and more importantly, he throws a fastball that can sit in the upper-90s. During his brief time in the big leagues, his fastball averaged 96.4 miles per hour, according to FanGraphs.
What Pelham hasn’t done is turn that big arm into success against tougher competition. He’s posted a 9.30 ERA in 40.2 innings at Class AA and an even worse 11.81 ERA in 10.2 innings at Class AAA. In the big leagues, he recorded a 7.02 ERA in 7.2 innings.
But he’s always missed bats, striking out 246 hitters in 209.1 innings across all levels, and the Cubs are clearly hoping he’ll eventually turn his skills into production on the field. He’ll have a chance to make the big league roster in the spring.
