Jaxon Wiggins Promoted to AAA

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Guess it’s official now:

 

[Bertz]

Me on BaseballSavant during that first start

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Quote

Wiggins, who made just one start in July, said he was shut down twice because his shoulder wasn’t recovering. Despite his previous injury, Wiggins says he wasn't worried.

“We just decided to take more time off and get it right and back,” Wiggins said.

“I hadn’t pitched in a month,” Wiggins said. “So I went there feeling really, really good.

"Everything feels brand new.”

 

Quote

Wiggins said the plan is for him to pitch three or four innings per game for the remainder of the season. So his goals for his time while in Iowa are simple.

“Just to finish strong and stay healthy,” Wiggins said.

 

[Donzo]

So it wasn’t all load management. There was some shoulder discomfort as Joe Trezza previously reported- OK.

With two weeks left in the AAA season we’re looking at two more starts for Wiggins. If he does well, like he did yesterday, he’d be in a decent position to make the Cubs out of spring. Comparing him to Horton, he was hurt and a mess in AAA in 2024. This spring he had to show he was healthy and then ready for the majors in AAA. It would be nice if Wiggins could skip starting out in AAA next year.

[Bertz]

48 minutes ago, Donzo said:

So it wasn’t all load management. There was some shoulder discomfort as Joe Trezza previously reported- OK.

With two weeks left in the AAA season we’re looking at two more starts for Wiggins. If he does well, like he did yesterday, he’d be in a decent position to make the Cubs out of spring. Comparing him to Horton, he was hurt and a mess in AAA in 2024. This spring he had to show he was healthy and then ready for the majors in AAA. It would be nice if Wiggins could skip starting out in AAA next year.

There's practically no chance Wiggins opens next year in the MLB rotation short of an outrageous rash of injuries.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I assume he'll be the first called up like Horton this year. 

[CubinNY]

18 hours ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

I assume he'll be the first called up like Horton this year. 

Yes, if everything goes well in AAA, they will use the Horton blueprint with him.

What the hell happened to Jordan Wicks?

[NorthsideAvenger]

Apparently Counsell watched Wiggins AAA debut and now there is a possibility the Cubs could call him up before the end of the year.

I do not know how to feel about this. Of course, I rather the Cubs to take a safer and healthier road with Wiggins but on the other side, it would be pretty exciting to see him in Chicago. I think I would rather the Cubs to err on the side of caution with Wiggins. I can wait till 2026 to see him. 

[Thurman Merman]

Sure, why not. We could use a new closer.

[We Got The Whole 9]

But now he wouldn't be postseason eligible right?

[mul21]

1 minute ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

But now he wouldn't be postseason eligible right?

Yes, he would be.  You just have to be in the organization by August 31st to be eligible for the postseason, not on the ML roster.

[Bertz]

3 hours ago, CubinNY said:

Yes, if everything goes well in AAA, they will use the Horton blueprint with him.

What the hell happened to Jordan Wicks?

Honestly I think for both Wicks and Brown its simple confidence.  If we could loan both guys to the Orioles to pitch in low leverage without having to look over their shoulder they'd be all set in like a month.

[We Got The Whole 9]

2 hours ago, mul21 said:

Yes, he would be.  You just have to be in the organization by August 31st to be eligible for the postseason, not on the ML roster.

Got it. 

[Rcal10]

I could see Wiggins brought up. Why not? Mets brought up 2 young pitchers recently. One started in A ball this year. Why not Wiggins. Maybe him and Horton work a piggyback start hoping to get 7 innings from them. If Counsell likes what he saw and wants him I wouldn’t have an issue with it. I mentioned it as a possibility weeks ago. 

[Donzo]

On 9/7/2025 at 2:53 PM, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

I assume he'll be the first called up like Horton this year. 

Unless the Cubs want to delay his major league clock, he’ll likely start 2026 with the Cubs if he finishes strong in his next two starts for Iowa and he’s one of the Cubs best starting pitchers next spring.

[Donzo]

21 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

.I mentioned it as a possibility weeks ago...  If Counsell likes what he saw and wants him I wouldn’t have an issue with it.

Yes you did, but it wasn’t like Counsell made some declaration about bringing up Wiggins.

Counsell was asked a question about bringing up Wiggins and said we’ll see. He noted that he has to finish strong in AAA then we’ll see if it’s right and if there’s enough time to look at him this year… To me it just seemed like he answered a question with standard manager speak.

[Bertz]

6 hours ago, Donzo said:

Unless the Cubs want to delay his major league clock, he’ll likely start 2026 with the Cubs if he finishes strong in his next two starts for Iowa and he’s one of the Cubs best starting pitchers next spring.

Whose rotation spot do you think he has a chance of taking?

[mul21]

17 hours ago, Donzo said:

Unless the Cubs want to delay his major league clock, he’ll likely start 2026 with the Cubs if he finishes strong in his next two starts for Iowa and he’s one of the Cubs best starting pitchers next spring.

I would be utterly shocked if Wiggins started the year in the rotation with the MLB club if for no other reason than load management. He's not going to even hit 90 innings this year, so to think he's going to spend an entire season in an MLB rotation is pretty far fetched.

Edited September 10, 2025 by mul21

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, mul21 said:

I would be utterly shocked if Wiggins started the year in the rotation with the MLB club if for no other reason than load management. He's not going to even hit 90 innings this year, so to think he's going to spend an entire season in an MLB rotation is pretty far fetched.

I agree. Cubs are holding him back for an extra year of control. Just like they didn’t hold Horton back for that reason. It is all about load management. He isn’t going to be in the rotation from the start of the season. He might not even be the first man up, if that man is needed before June. 

[Rcal10]

17 hours ago, Donzo said:

Yes you did, but it wasn’t like Counsell made some declaration about bringing up Wiggins.

Counsell was asked a question about bringing up Wiggins and said we’ll see. He noted that he has to finish strong in AAA then we’ll see if it’s right and if there’s enough time to look at him this year… To me it just seemed like he answered a question with standard manager speak.

I didn’t hear Counsell’s comment. But based on what you said it does appear to be a canned manager response. That said, if the Cubs think he is one of their 10-12 best pitchers at the end of the year, I don’t have any issues with them bringing him up and having him on thr playoff roster. I am sure they can maneuver the 40 man accordingly. 

[Donzo]

14 hours ago, Bertz said:

Whose rotation spot do you think he has a chance of taking?

 Rea/Brown/Assad.

[Donzo]

3 hours ago, mul21 said:

I would be utterly shocked if Wiggins started the year in the rotation with the MLB club if for no other reason than load management. He's not going to even hit 90 innings this year, so to think he's going to spend an entire season in an MLB rotation is pretty far fetched.

With the way they’ve worked Wiggins’ workload with ACR, he’s primed for more innings next year. Then there’s the Horton comp, who’s the same age as Wiggins (I think Horton is 6-weeks  older). There’s a different process now rather than just innings pitched. He pitched 38 innings in 2024 and is at 139 innings this year. Although, I wish Horton had some type of mini shutdown this year.

[mul21]

2 minutes ago, Donzo said:

With the way they’ve worked Wiggins’ workload with ACR, he’s primed for more innings next year. Then there’s the Horton comp, who’s the same age as Wiggins (I think Horton is 6-weeks  older). There’s a different process now rather than just innings pitched. He pitched 38 innings in 2024 and is at 139 innings this year. Although, I wish Horton had some type of mini shutdown this year.

Sure, but you're advocating for a guy who's going to throw less than 90 innings this year to be on track to throw 160 if he gets a full complement of starts and averages 5 IP per game.  It's just nonsensical to think that's a likely thing to happen.

[Donzo]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

It is all about load management. He isn’t going to be in the rotation from the start of the season. He might not even be the first man up, if that man is needed before June. 

I just posted about Wiggins' ACR routine and the Horton comp, so load management doesn't seem like a big issue next year for Wiggins.

Still a lot of balls are in the air for next year's starting rotation with trades and free agency. So we're a long way before we really know Wiggins' situation. What I'm stating is what we know now (pre trades and free agency), Wiggins has a path if he finishes this year strong, healthy and shows he’s ready in the spring.

 

[Donzo]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I didn’t hear Counsell’s comment. But based on what you said it does appear to be a canned manager response. That said, if the Cubs think he is one of their 10-12 best pitchers at the end of the year, I don’t have any issues with them bringing him up and having him on thr playoff roster. I am sure they can maneuver the 40 man accordingly. 

 

Good info. If Wiggins can get some MLB time this year that would be excellent.