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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Is Caleb Kilian a Dark Horse for Starts This Season in Chicago?

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ron Luce | Last updated 2/27/23

After an excellent start to his spring, Caleb Kilian is reminding people he's still a worthy starting pitching prospect for the Cubs.

Entering Spring Training this season, the Chicago Cubs have a few major storylines that fans, media, and the front office alike are following. Of those storylines, the fifth starter spot is one that is drawing a lot of attention. Before games began, David Ross identified three names that are specifically competing for that spot. Everyone is focused on Javier Assad, who thrived in his first spring outing, Adrian Sampson, and Hayden Wesneski. Although Wesneski has yet to pitch, he certainly showed out in his first MLB action at the end of last season.

Although attention remains on those three for the fifth starter spot, there is another name that the Cubs and fans might have to keep in mind. After generating plenty of buzz following his arrival to the organization in 2021, RHP Caleb Kilian had an encouraging start to his spring after a bit of a rough 2022 campaign.

The Cubs had their first Spring Training split squad day of 2023. While one half of the team hosted the Cleveland Guardians at Sloan Park, the other half was paying the Arizona Diamondbacks a visit at their facility. In the non-Marquee televised contest, Caleb Kilian made his first appearance of the spring. In 2.0 innings of work, Kilian faced the minimum and struck out two of the six batters he faced. He also threw 20 of his 29 pitches for strikes.

After a sensational 2021 season, Kilian's numbers came back down to Earth in 2022 at both the Triple-A and MLB levels. In 26 starts for the Iowa Cubs, Kilian held a 4.22 ERA with 125 strikeouts and 59 walks in 106.2 innings of work. Kilian regularly found himself working out of jams, preventing him from consistently going deep into starts. He only went five innings in 11 of those 26 starts, while going beyond five innings of work only three times. That was very different than the 2021 version of himself, who had three complete games and a sparkling 2.42 ERA in 19 starts.

Unfortunately, his MLB time wasn't any better. In three starts, including his debut, Kilian pitched to a 10.32 ERA in only 11.1 innings of work. In addition, he walked 12 batters while only punching out nine hitters.

Although a small sample size, Kilian's velocity and command both looked improved from 2022 on Monday. His elevated fastball was getting the job done, his command was sharp, and all of a sudden he looks like the player that excited Cubs fans when he was acquired in the Kris Bryant trade.

It's early, no question. However, if Kilian's performances in spring mirror his outing on Monday, then his name might join the conversation for starts in Chicago. Although he's likely to start in Iowa, Kilian could force his way into the conversation with a strong start in 2023. If that occurs, the Cubs will have a hard decision to make. That said, the front office and coaching staff will tell you that's a great problem to have if he forces their hand.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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