Ben Brown’s transition takes a step forward, and the Cubs are noticing

Ben Brown’s path with the Chicago Cubs has never followed a straight line. Acquired in 2022 from the Philadelphia Phillies in a trade centered on bullpen veteran David Robertson, Brown arrived with the kind of raw upside clubs rarely let sit too long on a shelf. For stretches, his talent showed up in the minors and then in the big leagues, even as results could swing when hitters adjusted. The most recent conversation around Brown is different in tone: it is about development, not just potential.

In 2025, according to Cubs-focused analysis that tracked his usage and outcomes, Brown posted a 5.92 ERA across 25 MLB appearances (15 starts) and allowed 18 home runs in 106.1 innings. Those are the sorts of numbers that can obscure a pitcher’s skills if the pitch mix is too predictable or if command and sequencing do not hold up against MLB hitters. The same analysis notes that Brown’s struggles looked particularly pronounced in that season, with effectiveness varying by role and context, including whether he was being asked to start or pitch later in games.

The shift this offseason, as described by writers who examined his pitch development and stated goals from industry reporting, centers on adding a two-seamer and creating clearer separation from his four-seam fastball. Before this year, Brown threw almost almost exclusively a four-seam fastball and what was described as a “knuckle curve.” The practical challenge for a developing MLB starter is that a two-pitch profile can become easier to prepare for over time, especially once scouting reports sharpen and batters get more looks.

One breakdown attributed to FanGraphs’ David Laurila and focused on Brown’s 2025 pitch mix described a near-total reliance on the four-seamer and curveball. Over 1,759 pitches, the four-seam fastball and curveball accounted for 95.5% of his offerings, which the analysis framed as more consistent with a reliever-style arsenal than the broader toolkit clubs prefer from rotation starters. This offseason, the reported plan was to build “good distinction” between the four-seam and the new two-seam, so hitters could not sit on the same visual and ride the same pattern.

The same analysis reported that Brown trained in the off-season with Mets starter Clay Holmes at a facility in Nashville, and that the emphasis landed on grip and movement that could produce a usable two-seam, sometimes also described as a sinker. The goal was not simply to throw another pitch, but to make that pitch meaningfully different from his four-seam. Early takeaways described his four-seam at about 97 mph and the sinker at about 98 mph, while keeping curveball usage roughly year-to-year.

Brown’s importance to the Cubs is not just about whether he can get outs. It is about whether Chicago can count on a young arm to give them stable innings while the rest of the roster adjusts around it. A pitcher who can start with confidence and reduce his exposure to line-drive damage and home runs changes how a team manages both the rotation and the bullpen. It also affects how the Cubs can plan around what they already have, because internal development often determines whether an organization needs to chase help externally.

What to watch next is whether the new fastball shape actually translates into repeatable at-bats faced time after time. Adding velocity is rarely the only story, and the real test for Brown’s development will be whether the four-seam and two-seam are used in a way that forces different swing decisions, not just more pitch variety. If that distinction holds, the Cubs gain a clearer identity for his role, and Brown’s storyline shifts from “talent with volatility” to “a pitcher with a working plan.”