For all the position player prospects the Cubs have turned out, they have yet to develop an impact pitcher. To wit, all five of the team’s most recent first-round picks are on the MLB roster, yet Rob Zastryzny became the first arm drafted by this front office to reach the majors when he debuted last season.
Rob Z’s a good dude, but not necessarily someone who moves the needle. And the same can be said for nearly every other pitcher matriculating through the system. Except for Dylan Cease. When I shared Jeff Passan’s hypothetical trade proposal for Gerrit Cole, more people objected to Cease’s inclusion than to the idea of parting with Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ.