Brandon Arvidson Is Set to Fly Through Cubs' Farm System As A 12th-Round Draft Pick

[Cory Sparks]

Image courtesy of © Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs entered the 2026 MLB Draft with a clear strategy: refresh the farm system's pitching depth. Among that crop of new arms, they may have found a diamond in the rough, and it wouldn’t be the first time they got a promising player late in the draft (we’re looking at you, Josiah Hartshorn).

Tennessee's Brandon Arvidson looks like an absolute weapon. Let’s break down what he brings to the table and how his projectable tools can carry him through the Cubs farm system should he choose to sign.

Brandon Arvidson's Cubs Scouting Report

Brandon Arvidson is a 6-foot-5, 217-pound left-handed pitcher who has three years of college baseball under his belt. The Dripping Springs, TX alum had a high profile entering this past spring, appearing on the 2026 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List and 2026 Preseason All-SEC 1st Team. 

This came after his ability was on full display last season, when he punched out 70 hitters in 38.2 innings to the tune of a 2-0 record and a 4.19 earned run average in 30 appearances (28 out of the bullpen). He came back this year and worked more innings per game (37.1 frames in 16 appearances), but an injury cut his season short. Arvidson still produced similar numbers, generating a 4.34 ERA with 44 strikeouts in his 2026 campaign, as the Volunteers got more than two innings per appearance out of him.

Strengths

Arvidson’s strength is, and has been, his strikeout stuff. He generated 114 strikeouts across 76 innings of work in college, utilizing a mid-90s fastball and his true out pitch, a slider that bites hard to his glove side. He pitched well against high-level competition, tossing three shutout innings against No. 9 Mississippi State and providing two innings of relief, with four strikeouts, against No. 25 Ole Miss. 

His environment also provides another strength: a rather shallow learning curve. Plenty of prep products are selected in every draft, meaning they’re experiencing a decent jump in competition once they hit the Complex League or Class-A competition. This hard-throwing lefty has played in the SEC, which can sometimes draw close comparisons to the Low-A level.

He could be a quick riser if all goes to plan, and with the Cubs having so many injuries at the big-league level, he may get to use his skillset at Wrigley Field within just a couple of years. 

Managing Injuries

While he passed the eye test in his two years at Tennessee, the arm soreness and minor toe injury on his ledger are both worth monitoring. Any time a pitcher gets injured, their recovery time and performance post-recovery are two key aspects to keep an eye on. Should he get back to his old self without any setbacks, when he was striking out nearly two batters per inning, the southpaw shouldn't be seen as a major injury risk.

Brandon Arvidson’s Projected Path

What kind of a role could the former Volunteer inherit if and when he does get to the big leagues? Think about what a fellow southpaw in Caleb Thielbar is doing right now. The veteran relief pitcher has been tossed into high-leverage situations time and time again, and Craig Counsell has been able to play the matchup game with the lefty depending on how the opposing lineup flips in the later stages of a contest. 

Don’t be shocked if Arvidson takes on a similar role, especially if the strikeout rate he produced in 2025 (north of 16 punchouts per nine innings) returns to form and follows him through the organization’s farm system.

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