Cubs farm system faces a steep uphill battle the front office hasn't shown it can win

Michael Reaves/GettyImagesFor much of my three-plus decades as a Chicago Cubs fan, the big knock on the organization has been that, for whatever reason, it can't develop top-end pitching.

There have been exceptions to the rule, sure. Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, Jeff Samardzija and, even though he was initially drafted by the Texas Rangers, Kyle Hendricks certainly deserves mention. Justin Steele, assuming he's back to 100 percent in 2026, can also be added to that list.

But when you consider the fact that Hendricks and Steele are really the only solidly above-average homegrown pitchers the team has developed in the last decade, it's a damning indictment on the front office - and…