Cubs sign righty Kohl Stewart to one-year deal

Jonathan Dyer - USA Today Sports

by Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Thursday, January 28, 2021, 4:47 PM

The Chicago Cubs announced Thursday that they have signed righty Kohl Stewart to a one-year major league deal.

The contract is reportedly worth $700,000.

Stewart opted out of playing in 2020 with COVID-19 concerns over health conditions being type one diabetic.

In 2019, he had a 6.39 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in nine appearances (two starts). He spent most of the year at Triple-A Rochester and pitched to a 8-6 record with a 5.14 ERA.

He was 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA (15 ER/36.2 IP) in eight games (four starts) for Minnesota at the age of 23 in his MLB debut season in 2018, walking 18 and striking out 24.

The 26-year-old has a 4.79 ERA in 17 career appearances and was released by the Minnesota Twins in November.

He has a 39-40 record for his minor league career with a 3.60 ERA in 131 career games (125 starts).

Stewart was once a top prospect as he was drafted No. 4 overall out of St. Pius X High School in Texas and two spots behind Kris Bryant in the 2013 amateur draft.

One of the bright spots of this signing is that he has five years left of club control remaining (through 2025) at a very low cost.

This is a decent move by the Cubs if he can show some flashes that made him a top prospect while in college and with the Twins organization (No. 28 on Baseball Prospectus' list).

The Cubs' 40-man roster is now at 37 players.

Righty Kohl Stewart's MLB deal with the Cubs is one-year, $700,000. He opted out of the 2020 season (Type 1 diabetes) after signing with O's. Sinker-slider arm that can be under club control through 2025. Viewed as a long-man option who can compete for rotation innings.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) January 28, 2021

Kohl Stewart's $700,000 contract with the #Cubs brings the grand total of free-agent spending in the NL Central to $4.4 million this winter.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 28, 2021

The #Cubs have agreed to terms with RHP Kohl Stewart on a 2021 major league contract. pic.twitter.com/QRlUkRWxwk
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) January 28, 2021