Cubs Option Pitchers Roberts and Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa

The Chicago Cubs reduced their Spring Training roster from 46 to 44 players Friday, optioning right-handed pitchers Ethan Roberts and Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa ahead of a spring game against the Cincinnati Reds in Mesa, Ariz. The moves cleared the field for the final bullpen spot on the Opening Day roster, which now comes down to a two-man race between Javier Assad and Ben Brown.

Both pitchers earned their way into the conversation with strong spring work, which made the decisions harder, not easier. Roberts posted a 1.50 ERA across six relief appearances, allowing just one earned run in six innings on three hits and two walks while striking out four. His underlying metrics backed up the surface numbers: a 113 psStuff+, a 6.2% barrel rate, and an 87 mph average exit velocity against him. The problem was a 15.2% whiff rate and an 18.2% strikeout rate that signaled limited swing-and-miss capability. For a Cubs bullpen needing relievers who can miss bats consistently, those numbers gave the club pause. Roberts has navigated a difficult stretch since appearing on the 2022 Opening Day roster, dealing with injuries and inconsistent performance, but his spring line suggests he will factor into the Wrigley Field bullpen picture at some point this season.

Hollowell's case was the more striking of the two. The 28-year-old, 6'7" right-hander whom the Cubs claimed off waivers in 2024 after stints with the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks, struck out 12 of 27 batters he faced this spring, a 44.4% strikeout rate that ranked among the best in camp. He walked just two, recorded two holds and a save, and allowed only two earned runs across seven innings. His 32.7% chase rate and 26.4% whiff rate reinforced what the eye test suggested: Hollowell can miss bats at an elite level.

What undercut him was the contact quality when hitters did make contact. Opposing batters posted a 99.7 mph average exit velocity against Hollowell with a 69.2% hard-hit rate across those seven appearances. That combination of elite strikeout production and extreme hard contact created a risk profile the Cubs were not willing to carry into Opening Day. Hollowell is not a stranger to the minor leagues at his level; he logged 47 strikeouts in just 32 1/3 minor league innings last season before making seven major league appearances for Chicago with a 4.82 ERA. He figures to be first in line for a bullpen call-up when the Cubs need reinforcements.

With both pitchers headed to Iowa, the last roster spot belongs to either Assad or Brown. Assad brings the more established track record: a 3.43 ERA and 271 strikeouts across 331 innings since his 2022 MLB debut, with a 3.05 ERA and 22.1% strikeout rate across 59 career relief appearances. The Cubs' 44-man spring roster now includes 23 pitchers, four catchers, 10 infielders, and seven outfielders, with 13 non-roster invitees still in camp across all positions. Daniel Palencia, whose closer role manager Craig Counsell confirmed before his World Baseball Classic run, already holds the ninth inning, per FanSided reporting. The last open seat is the only question that remains.