Roster Move: Cubs sign righty pitcher to minor league deal |
Just when you thought you were caught up on all of the new Cubs acquisitions, the team struck again and added right-hander Trey Supak on a minor league deal. This follows a similar pattern to what we have seen lately. Supak was playing Independent baseball in the Atlantic League for Charleston and had previous experience with Craig Counsell after crossing paths in Milwaukee.
The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted the 27-year-old righty in the second round of the 2014 MLB draft, and he was immediately signed out of high school. Given his potential and big arm on the mound, the Pirates had to pay an over-slot value for him, but they saw the long-term potential, which made the deal a no-brainer at the time. Supak is a massive hurler on the mound, standing 6-5 and weighing 268 pounds. He has enjoyed what some could say is an up-and-down career so far. A Houston Cougars commit coming out of high school; the highly touted arm had to be convinced not to go to college, which is why the Pirates had to spend the kind of money just to get him to sign. At that time, he was throwing around 91-92 MPH with his heater, but given his solid makeup, overall stuff, and his projectability to be a starter at the next level, he was one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. Since being drafted, Supak has spent most of the last decade trying to live out his dream to play in the MLB. Things were going as smoothly as they could as he reached AAA with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 and was knocking on the door of a call-up. That season, he posted a 1.76 ERA in nine starts with Carolina before moving up to Biloxi. Across his 16 starts in AA, Supak collected a 2.91 ERA, which got him the promotion to AAA Nashville to finish out the season. He finished that season with a combined 2.48 ERA and 123 strikeouts. He was part of the Keon Broxton trade that sent Broxton to Pittsburgh. Supak returned to AA in 2019, where he went on to post a 2.20 ERA in 20 starts while taking home the Southern Pitcher of the Year honors that season. This was also the first time he would get an extended look in AAA, where he made seven starts and posted a 9.30 ERA. That alone had him as the Brewers No.15 overall prospect, but what happens next is where the story gets weird. With the 2020 MILB season being wiped out due to COVID, the Brewers elected not to resign him, and thus, Supak hit free agency. He would eventually latch on with the Oakland A's, where he earned an invite to Spring Training before being sent to AA Midland to kick off the season. Shortly after arriving in AA, Supak was placed on the 60-day IL as his first season with the A's was a complete waste. He ultimately returned to Midland the next season and posted a 1.59 ERA across three starts before having another season cut short due to injury. When he returned from this injury in 2023, he wasn't the same pitcher that everyone was starting to fall in love with, as he posted an ERA north of 6.00 for the season and ultimately wound up hitting free agency again before signing with Charleston for the 2024 season. In 4 starts, he had a 2.35 ERA with 28 Ks in 23 innings, which caught the attention of several teams, including the Cubs, who promptly snatched him up and placed him on the AA Tennessee roster. It didn't take long for Supak to get into action. He appeared in his first game Tuesday night and tossed a pair of scoreless innings. Still, a guy who tends to sit around 92-93 MPH, Supak was hitting 95 MPH on a more consistent level during his first outing, so you have to wonder if adrenaline played a role in that. Also, Supak showed a plus curve for the organization to build around while also getting back to that change-up that teams fell in love with in college. As has been the case with many pitchers lately, command has been an issue for him, which is why he struggles once he reaches the higher levels of the Minors. Should he be able to iron that out this season, Supak is an intriguing option for the Cubs, especially when you look at his overall potential when he was drafted.
