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The White Sox and Cubs have agreed on a commerce sending left-hander Bailey Horn from the Cubs to the Sox in change for minor league righty Matt Thompson, per bulletins from each golf equipment. Sahadev Sharma and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on the deal previous to the official announcement. Sharma reported final night time that the Cubs have been exploring offers to commerce a pitcher off the again finish of their 40-man roster, with a purpose to open a spot for the newly re-signed Cody Bellinger.
Horn, 26, will return to the membership that initially chosen him within the fifth spherical of the 2020 draft. He pitched within the Sox’ system for a portion of the 2021 season however was traded to the Cubs in change for veteran reliever Ryan Tepera simply over a 12 months after being drafted. Present Sox common supervisor Chris Getz was the crew’s farm director in 2020-21 and clearly noticed a lot in Horn to love, provided that he’s now reacquired the lefty.
Horn cut up the 2023 season between the Cubs’ Double-A and Triple-A associates, pitching to a mixed 4.21 ERA in 65 innings out of the bullpen. He fanned a hearty 28.7% of his opponents however struggled together with his command, issuing walks at a 12.5% clip. Baseball America ranked him 28th amongst Cubs farmhands this season, touting a fastball that sits 94-96 mph and a pair of doubtless above-average breaking balls (a plus slider and a strong curveball). Nevertheless, BA’s report additionally famous that Horn has a “violent arm motion that yields nicely below-average management and vital damage threat.”
Now again with the South Siders, Horn will give the Sox a near-term choice within the bullpen. He’s pitched solely in reduction in every of the previous two seasons and was solely simply added to the 40-man roster this offseason, which means he has a full slate of three minor league choice years remaining.
In change for Horn, the Cubs will obtain the 23-year-old Thompson — a beginning pitching prospect whom the White Sox chosen within the second spherical of the 2019 draft. He began 27 video games on the Double-A stage in ’23, pitching to a 4.85 ERA with a 23.9% strikeout price, 15% stroll price and 40.7% ground-ball price. Scouting studies on Thompson tout a heater that reaches 97 mph and a probably plus curveball, however like Horn he’s working to beat below-average command. Baseball America tabbed him 30th amongst ChiSox prospects heading into the 2024 season.
Very similar to Horn, Thompson is a mission who’s reached the higher minors however will possible must make some refinements earlier than incomes a take a look at the MLB stage. He’s pitched 109 and 124 innings, respectively, over the previous two seasons. He might be part of the rotation in Double-A Tennessee or in Triple-A Iowa and can present the Cubs with some upper-level rotation depth. The Cubs are more and more deep in that regard, with names like Jordan Wicks, Hayden Wesneski, Ben Brown and Javier Assad all within the combine for his or her closing rotation spot, and prime prospect Cade Horton quickly climbing the organizational ladder.
