Checking Out New Cubs Pitcher Mike Kickham (with Video)

mike kickham giantsGiven the rapidity with which the players who preceded him on the waiver wire were shuffled in and out of the organization, it’s probably for the best that the holiday travels/sickness/kid-ness delayed my write-up of the Cubs’ waiver claim of Mike Kickham earlier this week.

In the process of opening up two 40-man roster spots by trying to outright Ryan Lavarnway and Shane Peterson to AAA Iowa (unsuccessful), the Cubs used one of those spots to officially sign David Ross, and used the other to claim a big, strong lefty from the San Francisco Giants, who themselves needed to open up space to add Jake Peavy back to the 40-man roster.

Kickham, 26, is a 6’4″, 220 lbs lefty who has primarily been a starter in his career. A 6th round pick out of Missouri State in 2010, Kickham reached AA in just his second full professional season. He showed a big arm, a mid-90s fastball, and some control problems. Still, he was effective enough to get promoted to AAA for the 2013 season, and he was shuttled back and forth between AAA and the bigs for most of 2013. He pitched acceptably well at AAA, but not so much in the bigs. This past season, Kickham was mostly at AAA, posting a 4.43 ERA over 148.1 (PCL) innings, striking out 131 and walking 64.

Before 2014, Kickham was the 20th best prospect in the Giants’ system, according to Baseball America, who noted in the 2014 handbook that Kickham “has a plus fastball that touches 95mph, and [] has shown a knack for making his breaking ball harder or tighter as the situation warrants.” Kickham’s stuff, BA said, “has few peers in the system.” The big problem, as it so often is for big arms with great stuff who can’t quite break through in the bigs: control. Kickham has battled wildness, which can be effective in the lower minors, but tends to weed guys out as they move up.

Still, it’s not difficult to see why the Cubs would want to take a chance on a guy who has good velocity and good stuff, and who reached the big leagues so quickly after being drafted. That’s all the more true when you consider (1) Kickham still has a minor league option left, so the Cubs could send him to AAA Iowa after Spring Training without losing him, so long as they keep him on the 40-man roster; and (2) although the Giants have likely been dreaming on Kickham’s starting upside, the Cubs have the luxury of seeing what he can do as a reliever and/or lefty specialist, given their already extreme back-end starter depth (especially given that option).

Given the Cubs’ wide open lefty competition right now, this is probably a good chance for Kickham, too. The market for lefties wasn’t great this year – guys like Tom Gorzelanny and Joe Thatcher are still out there, though, and are at least a little interesting – so, as things stand, the Cubs could just give every in-house lefty a chance to impress in the Spring, and then take the best of the bunch to Chicago.

Indeed, what the Cubs could do is bring Kickham to camp, see how he looks as a reliever – does the velocity play up? is the slider a strong enough second pitch that he can just go fastball/slider? – and then, if he doesn’t make the team, the Cubs can option him to AAA Iowa where he could resume starting, or continue a move to the pen.

All in all, Kickham looks like a long-shot to break out in a big league role at any point in the future, but he also looks like the kind of guy you’re mighty happy to get for free on the waiver wire.

Some video on the Cubs’ new lefty:

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

The First Chicago Cubs Lineup of the Year is Here!

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Latest News

Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

Braves vs. Phillies: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Atlanta Braves take on Kyle Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.See how to watch the Atlanta-Philadelphia matchup below.When is Braves vs. Phillies and...

Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The New Orleans Pelicans face the Milwaukee Bucks at 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this matchup requires only one trifecta from Jonas Valančiūnas.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the BucksJonas Valanciunas' over/under...

Top 25 College Basketball Picks and Best Bets: March 28

The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa State Cyclones hit the court in one of four games on the college basketball slate on Thursday that include a ranked team.How to Bet on Top 25 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Top 25 Games for...

What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Arizona Diamondbacks start their season as home favorites (-230) in a matchup with the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on ARID from Chase Field.Zac Gallen will get the ball for Arizona while Colorado will counter...

Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Seattle Mariners are moneyline favorites (-154) to begin their season with a home win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on NESN.Seattle's Luis Castillo gets the start, and he'll go against Boston's Brayan...

Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Cleveland Guardians start their season as road favorites (-156) in a matchup with the Oakland Athletics on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET, live on NBCS-CA from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.Cleveland's Shane Bieber and Oakland's Alex Wood have been named the...

Damian Lillard Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Milwaukee Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, and if the Bucks' Damian Lillard drains four 3-pointers, he'll beat his over/under.Damian Lillard's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansDamian Lillard's over/under for three-pointers in this...

Brook Lopez Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Milwaukee Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this matchup requires two trifectas from Brook Lopez.Brook Lopez's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansBrook Lopez's over/under for...

more cubs news