2024 Cubs Prospect Profile: Richard Gallardo |
When you look at the state of the Cubs farm system, you can't help but marvel at what Jed Hoyer has done with it. What was once one of the worst farm systems in the game is now a top-three system filled with depth at virtually every position.
What tends to be a five-year process was done in three years as the Cubs are set up for success now and future success. When you look at the overall depth in this system, one area that comes to mind is the pitching, which is something the Cubs have harped on for years. After going more than a decade without consistently developing any pitching, the Cubs not only have several arms knocking at the MLB level, but also have arms further down in the system that could be critical pieces. Richard Gallardo is one of those arms and continues to be an often overlooked piece. The 2018 International free agent pickup has been a part of the Cubs organization for a while now and, at one point, was a top 20 prospect. Chicago then added an influx of names into their system, which knocked Gallardo out of the top 30, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a place on this team long-term. Viewed as the best pitcher in his international class, the Venezuelan-born Gallardo elected to sign with the Cubs and came here on a one-million-dollar offer. Unlike most pitchers on the International circuit who take a little bit of time to get their feet wet, Gallardo was so advanced for his age that he made his Stateside debut in 2019. he earned a promotion to the short-season Northwest League as a 17-year-old in late August. The Cubs limited him to 34 1/3 innings in his first season, but his polish was evident. Although limited in innings during his first season, Gallardo was quite good when he was on the mound, posting a 3.93 ERA in those 34 innings. Following the COVID year of 2020, many people expected a lot from Gallardo in 2021 as he got his first taste of full-season ball with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He started 21 games that season and took some bumps along the way as he posted a 3-9 record with a 4.53 ERA. His 31BB/74K ratio slightly improved, but the command was still an issue at times. One season later, we saw Gallardo make the jump not only to High-A South Bend but also to AA, which is where he has been the past two seasons. After going 6-10 with a respectable 4.07 ERA in 2022, Gallardo followed that up by going 5-4 across 16 starts this season and posting an ERA of 4.50. That gives him a career mark of 14-25 with a 4.28 ERA across 78 games (72 starts). These are not ideal numbers, but Gallardo is an innings eater who will give you length when he is on the mound. Typically a guy who sits around 91 MPH with his heater, Gallardo did see a slight increase in 2023 and was touching 93 and even 94 more consistently. Given that slight increase, many scouts feel there could be more in that arm with the potential of hitting 95 MPH plus if he can learn to harness everything. With that fastball comes two offspeed pitches, with his 79 MPH curve being the best of the two. He has controlled that pitch very well since his teenage years and continues to use that as his outpitch in most counts. Gallardo backs that up with an 84 MPH change that does need some work, but he has shown a much more consistent feel for it in recent seasons. Despite the disappointing numbers, Gallardo is a strike thrower who sometimes throws too many hittable strikes. Gallardo is very fluid with his mechanics and does a great job repeating them from pitch to pitch. Once viewed as a possible middle-of-the-rotation arm as a teenager, his professional career leaves many scouts believing he will be a back-of-the-rotation arm at best. However, should he continue to add strength and some velocity, you could see him move to the pen for additional depth purposes. Look for the Cubs to continue to handle him as a starter for now, as 2024 will be a big year for him. Should he continue to struggle, they may be forced to move on from him or move on from him as a starter in this league.
