Depending on whom you ask, Caleb Kilian is the best pitching prospect in the Chicago Cubs system. In years past, that might’ve been faint praise, but the Cubs now actually have a number of pitching prospects who are legit future impact types. So for Kilian to rate as the best of the bunch for some? It’s a big plaudit.
Kilian made his season – and Triple-A – debut today for the Iowa Cubs. Although his day was artificially limited (he must have had a pitch count around 50 pitches, because he was pulled after just 2.2 innings), it was dominant. Exactly the kind of outing you would hope to see. He even picked a guy off.
Kilian faced 10 batters … and he struck out SIX(!) of them. Yes, he will need to be more efficient in the long-term as he develops, but you can’t argue with the stuff. This is dominant:
Caleb Kilian’s stuff matched the Buffalo temperatures. He was crisp on a day he went 2 2/3 innings scattering two hits with 6 Ks and 1 BB. He showcased mid 90s velo. Kilian relied heavily on his curve early before absolutely nailing his fastball right where he wanted it. pic.twitter.com/lKmSdIWIr6
— Greg Zumach (@IvyFutures) April 9, 2022
Good stuff from Caleb. Ran into a handful of long ABs that led to a bit of inefficiency (in terms of P/IP), but pretty much ended all those with strikeouts, so you take it every day of the week. I’d expect he’ll add 10-15 pitches each outing until he gets fully stretched. https://t.co/KjR3ex49pI
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) April 9, 2022