Scouting Report: Ben Brown

Summary

Ben Brown, a 26-year-old Cubs right-hander, has been promoted from the bullpen to the starting rotation to replace injured Matthew Boyd (meniscus surgery, 6-week IL stint). Brown developed a sinker and changeup in the offseason to complement his elite fastball-curveball combination, addressing previous issues with predictability and pitch sequencing. In his first two starts, he has delivered dominant performances: 4 shutout innings on 45 pitches vs Texas Rangers (4 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K) and 4 shutout innings on 65 pitches vs Atlanta Braves (4 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K). Overall in May, Brown has a 0.82 ERA with a .057 opponent batting average across 4 appearances. His sinker has been particularly effective, holding batters to a .217 average with an 82.9 mph exit velocity. The Cubs are cautiously stretching him out as a starter while maintaining pitch count limits.