Jordan Wicks has been a bit of an enigma for the Cubs. When he first came up, he was an effective lefty starter, but those results haven’t been consistent, and he keeps getting hurt. He’s starting this season on the IL, along with Porter Hodge, who didn’t look good. Neither injury is said to be long-term, but you never know. Wicks hasn’t pitched yet this year.
Wicks is still just 26 but the clock is running and the luster has been worn off of the #21 overall pick in 2021. He’s pitched to a lifetime
6-6 record, with a ghastly 5.21 ERA and 1.516 WHIP and 0.5 bWAR (0.3 fWAR).
It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly the problem is. His stuff is not bad. He clearly puts in the effort and the coaches says he puts in the work. His K/9 is in the eights. He gives up around 1.5 HR/9.
Projections have him as a spot starter, and that’s probably his future, if he gets into major-league games at all. Wicks might be better off in another organization where he’ll have more chances to throw in the bigs, but he’s a tough sell right now, and teams hate to give up on first-rounders historically, because of their potential.
Wicks has a five-pitch mix — FB, sinker, slider, curve, change. He’s also thrown a cutter in the past but not in 2025. Let’s hope that the Cubs’ coaches can determine what the issue(s) is/are, and Wicks can regain the effectiveness that got him drafted in the first round.
