Cubs sign righty reliever Ben Heller |
Now that the X-mas season is over and we inch toward the New Year, it's time for the MLB front offices to return to work. For the Chicago Cubs, that means looking at everything through a glass-half-full model and figuring out how to improve this roster.
Adding guys like Eli Morgan, Kyle Tucker, and Matthew Boyd are steps in the right direction, but a ton of work still needs to be done, and there is not much time left until Spring. Monday saw the Cubs make another deal, and it is one of those reclamation project deals the Cubs love to do, as former Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Ben Heller has agreed to a minor league deal with the Cubs. The 33-year-old veteran has been a minor league journeyman most of his career but broke out in a big way for the Pirates AAA club in 2024. During that season, Heller struck out an absurd 40% of the batters he faced, which ranked near the tops in all of Minor League baseball. Those numbers alone gave him plenty of attention and eventually helped him earn a call-up to the bigs. Once he got to the show, the massive strikeout numbers took a significant decline, but that was to be expected given the situation. Still, he managed to post average strikeout numbers in the bigs, which is all you can ask for. The one downside of his season was watching his ERA blow up to 11.25 across 12 innings with the Pirates, as that alone shows you that Minor League success doesn't always translate to Big League success. Almost all of that damage came in two June outings, though, and he was pretty effective in his second stint with the big league team in August, which has to be an encouraging sign for the Cubs, especially if they view this as a reclamation type of deal. His second stint was excellent as he allowed minimal damage across ten innings until shoulder inflammation ended his season. As common as it is for the Cubs to sign reclamation projects, this is more than just a project, as Heller has been lighting it up for years in AAA. That success translated well in the Majors at one point, as he posted an ERA close to 3.00 before landing in the Pirates system. With stops in Cleveland, Atlanta, and New York along the way, Heller has worked with several successful organizations that have been known to develop quality arms across the board. Had he not gone through the injuries he has dealt with in recent seasons, there is a good chance he would have broken into the majors years ago and he could have become a reliable arm. Injury history or not, these deals don't scare the Cubs as they continue to make these signings to see what can come of them. Julian Merryweather worked out nicely two seasons ago, as did Mark Leiter Jr., and the Cubs are hoping Heller can be the next in line. Not considered a flame-thrower, Heller can still get that heater to sit consistently around 95, and that is something the Cubs pen has been doing a much better job with. His change sets him apart from many guys, as that isn't only his go-to put-away pitch, but it has emerged as one of the most lethal pitches in the minors. That alone plays into the Cubs' hands with their pitching lab, and it could be the best way to maximize his worth on this team. Looking more into his change-up, you will see a pitch that sits around 86 MPH, offering a nearly 45% whiff rate. Many scouts have even compared it to the Devin Williams and Logan Webb change, both of the best in baseball. Heller is far more than a two-pitch guy, as he threw five pitches throughout the season. While the first two mentioned are his go-to pitches, Heller also has an 87 MPH cutter that he uses a lot against righties while mixing in a 94 MPH sinker. His least used option is the 77 MPH curve, as he hasn't yet had the feel for that pitch. Whatever happens with this pickup, it's clear that the Cubs are never going to deviate from their current path. If the deal works out in their favor, good for them, as they picked up a solid arm for nothing. If it doesn't, no harm is done, as they will most likely continue going this route to add pitching. Here's Ben Heller's supination-dominant splitter grip that is absolutely filthy: Ben Heller's 3Ks in the 8th.
Averages on the year:
✅ 86 mph
✅ -2.5" vertical break (!)
✅ 11.2" horizontal break
✅ 45% whiff%
This compares to Logan Webb & Devin Williams' CH depth. pic.twitter.com/epgV8UU7tt
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