Being a first round draft pick means playing under a fair bit of pressure and some serious expectations. Brendon Little learned that quickly in 2017, when he struggled in his brief Cubs debut. His velocity was down and he had trouble finding the plate. His curveball looked amazing on occasion and at other times it looked utterly pedestrian.
He had an ERA north of 9.00, but only pitched 16.1 innings in that abbreviated debut season. This spring, he will be under a microscope as the Cubs and their fans try to get a look at exactly what is happening with Little’s left arm.