MESA, Ariz. – Cubs 2020 first-round pick Jordan Wicks remembers the thud of his sweat-drenched jersey as it hit the pitch lab floor.
It was July, a sweltering day, and his first experience in the Arizona facility designed to supply heaps of pitch data for the Cubs organization.
“It feels a lot better being in there this time of year,” Wicks said last week in prospect minicamp. “I’m not sweating like crazy.”
Even when the Cubs were consistently going to the playoffs, they received criticism for the lack of big-league pitching they produced. Their 2016 championship core was made up of young hitters, and over the years the club paid handsomely to supplement pitching to match.