Having apparently cleared the necessary intake protocols, the Cubs now have two more pitching prospects in their group at South Bend: righties Tyson Miller and Cory Abbott.
Combine their additions with that of catcher Jose Lobaton last night, and the Cubs’ player pool is now up to 57 out of 60 slots.
The additions of Miller and Abbott have been expected for a little while, together with lefties Justin Steele and Jack Patterson, and fellow righty Keegan Thompson. Now it’s official – the two will get in some additional development time at South Bend, and will also be available in a pinch if the Cubs have to bring in additional starters. Miller is already on the 40-man roster, Abbott is not.
Abbott, 24, was the Cubs’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2019, having owned at AA, particularly in the second half. The Cubs’ 2nd rounder from 2017 was set to start at AAA Iowa this year, where we would have gotten a better gauge on just how soon he could compete for a big league rotation job. As things stand, it’s a lot less likely that he’d get a serious look for the Opening Day rotation in 2021 (even though it might have several openings), but he’s right there in a group of starters who’ll be in the depth mix next year and beyond. And he’s got the talent to break out.
Miller, 24, got even better results than Abbott at AA, earning a midseason bump to AAA, where he struggled to adjust (as pretty much all pitching prospects did in 2019 thanks to the juiced ball). Miller, the Cubs’ 4th rounder in 2016, is already on the 40-man roster, and is with Abbott in that group of could-be-a-Cubs-starter-in-2021+. The Cubs really need this development time with Miller.