Ben Brown Has A New Job Title: Worm Killer

Is Ben Brown here to stay? Yes, it has only been four starts and 19 total innings since he moved to the rotation. Still, there are reasons to be very excited. There are the results: a 23/6 K/BB ratio with zero home runs allowed against some quality opponents. Holding those opponents to a .171/.247/.200 slash line is great work, but is it sustainable?

In 2024, Ben Brown debuted with pretty impressive results before a stress fracture in his neck ended his season in June. When he came back in 2025, he struggled to find his footing, although his peripheral numbers looked a bit better than his results. His fastball velocity decreased and his breaking ball was dropping almost two inches less. Both were likely due to an increase in his arm angle from 42 degrees to 45 degrees. He just didn’t look like the same pitcher.

This season, he looks to have fully rebounded. As Matt Trueblood wrote about Ben Brown, on his re-entry into the Cubs rotation, Brown’s arm angle has lowered. It is now back to where it was in 2024 at 42 degrees. In turn, his fastball velocity jumped back to where it was and he is getting that depth back on his breaking ball.     

In addition to looking healthy, Brown has improved his arsenal. Much has been written about the new sinker he has unleashed this year, both on this website and others, and it still might not be enough. There has long been a line of inquiry with the right-hander that, in some form or another, went as such: "What if Ben Brown had a third pitch?" Well, we no longer have to wonder. He's got one, and the results have been glorious.

Brown’s usage of the sinker and improved arsenal has morphed him from a fly-ball pitcher to a ground-ball pitcher. He has increased his ground-ball rate from roughly 37% in 2024 to 43% in 2025 all the way to 53% this season. He went from the 22nd percentile to 90th percentile in that category in just two seasons. It isn’t just the sinker either; Brown is giving up an average launch angle of three degrees on his four seamer, down from 16 degrees last year and 18 degrees in 2024. Batters are just having a much harder time lifting the ball against Brown.    

Slugging happens when batters hit the ball in the air and Brown has done an impressive job of limiting that despite allowing exit velocities in the 31st percentile and a hard-hit rate in the 35th percentile. Giving up hard contact matters a lot less when it is on the ground, especially with the way the Cubs play defense.

The best part about all of this is that, even if Brown falters in the rotation as he has to turn the lineup over multiple times, the Cubs already know he can dominate in a relief role. No matter what, he'll provide value to this pitching staff. But if he can stick around in the starting five and chew up lots of quality innings... well, the North Siders may be able to stay afloat after all.