PHOENIX – The Cubs signed 2021 first rounder Jordan Wicks to his first contract with the club on Friday. Wick’s deal is for a slot value of $3.13 million. The team has now signed nine of their first 10 picks in the draft including Wicks third-round pick Drew Gray, fourth-round pick Christian Hernandez and fifth-round pick Liam Spence.
Developing homegrown starting pitching has been an area where the Cubs have not had the most success in recent seasons. Adding Wicks along with other power arms like last year’s second-round pick Burl Carraway and undrafted free agents such as Max Bain and Ben Leeper, the Cubs are trying to expedite what has been a weakness for the last several seasons.