Cubs Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year: 2024

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Today, we continue to hand out our proverbial North Side Baseball hardware. Who were the top relief pitchers for the Cubs minor-league ballclubs in 2024? 

Yesterday, we named Brandon Birdsell as the Cubs Full-Season Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. Today, we will discuss the most exciting relief pitchers in the Cubs minor league affiliates.

The Cubs saw their major-league bullpen collapse early in the season, helping to create a hole that couldn't be escaped even with an improved finish. Their top three salaried relief arms of Mark Leiter Jr., Drew Smyly, and Hector Neris combined for $19 million in salary, and a -0.2 WAR in 2024. That being said, the list of relief prospects on the rise through the minor league system is worth focusing on as Cubs fans evaluate the whole organization in hopes of turning the ship around in 2025.

The North Side Baseball minor league writers and video providers were asked to vote on these awards. Before getting into the top three vote getters, here are the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mention

• RHP Eduarniel Nunez, 25, Tennessee/Iowa: 46 G, 0 GS, 5 SV, 3.28 ERA, 1.293 WHIP, 60.1 IP, 40 H, 38 BB, 64 K
• LHP Blake Weiman, 28, Tennessee/Iowa: 43 G, 0 GS, 7 SV, .268 ERA, 0.974 WHIP, 50.1 IP, 41 H, 8 BB, 55 K
• RHP Joe Nahas, 24, South Bend/Tennessee: 31 G, 2 GS, 2 SV, 4.02 ERA, 1.226 WHIP, 69.1 IP, 59 H, 26 BB, 74 K

Minor League Full-Season Relief Pitcher of the Year
Here are the top three vote-getters for Cubs Full-Season Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year

3. RHP Carlo Reyes, 26, South Bend/Tennessee
28 G, 1 GS, 2 SV, 1.36 ERA, 1.059 WHIP, 39.2 IP, 32 H, 10 BB, 56 K
Reyes joined the Cubs organization in 2024 via a minor league contract after spending time in the Phillies and Dodgers minor league systems since 2019. The 6'0", 212 pound, righty unlocked his potential by dropping his walk rate and tripling his strike out numbers from 2023 to 2024. After posting a 0.00 ERA over nine games in South Bend, Reyes jumped up a level and continued to dominate in a one-to-two inning setup role.

Cubs fans were lobbying for an Iowa callup for the developing relief arm, as his improved pitch mix began to baffle batters. Odds are that Iowa will be where Reyes soon finds himself, with an opportunity for a late 2025 Wrigley Field experience if he continues to piece together his consistency and control.

2. RHP Frankie Scalzo, 24, Tennessee/Iowa
45 G, 0 GS, 9 SV, 2.14 ERA, 1.226 WHIP, 54.2 IP, 45 H, 22 BB, 48 K
In 2021, the Cubs selected Scalzo in the 14th round of the amateur draft out of Grand Cayon University. Scalzo spent his first three years in the organization making the climb from rookie ball to Tennessee in steady increments. Other than a brief stint on the IL to start his 2022 campaign, the 6'3", 185 pound, righty has been healthy and consistent. 

Used primarily as a closer at Tennessee to start 2024, Scalzo accumulated all nine of his saves and accomplished a 0.00 Era over a 26 inning body of work. The jump to Iowa wasn't as kind as Scalzo worked one-to-two inning setup and middle relief outings, and he saw his ERA balloon to 5.65 against stronger and older talent. Was it the role change that impacted him the most? Should the Cubs consider working Scalzo back into the closer role for 2025 at Iowa? These are things to keep an eye on as this home grown prospect, and Freddie Mercury look-alike, reaches his next level of progression.

1.  RHP Nico Zeglin, 24, Myrtle Beach/South Bend
25 G, 4 GS, 3 S, 0.95 ERA, 0.818 WHIP, 66 IP, 38 H, 16 BB, 90 K
The 6’4”, 200 pound, Zeglin came out of nowhere to find his way to the top of this list. The free agent rookie bounced between the Pioneer independent league, Long Beach State, and the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League in 2023-24, only to land a minor league flyer contract with the Cubs. Zeglin couldn’t have responded any better to the opportunity, succeeding in every role that was asked of him in 2024. He pitched multiple innings in every game that he entered, ranging from the eighth and ninth innings at the start of his Myrtle Beach run to two five inning starts at South Bend in August. Three to four inning middle relief outings also permeates his game log, with one common denominator across all of his outings: Zeglin dominated.

What’s not to be excited about? With a WHIP and ERA under 1.00 across 66 innings of work, Zeglin took command of his opponents, literally. His pitch-to-weak-contact skills, turned into strikeout skills, and potentially into starter skills. Where will his story end? Cubs fans can’t wait to find out! At the very least, watching Zeglin baffle hitters at Tennessee by the end of 2025 isn’t out of the question.

 

 

 

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Congratulations to the young pitchers we discussed today on great showings. For 2024, Nico Zeglin definitely earned and deserved our choice for North Side Baseball Minor-League Relief Pitcher of the Year.

What do you think Cubs fans? Is there someone that we missed? Who are you most excited about for both the short-term and long-term future of the squad?

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