Drafted in the 33rd round (983rd overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 (signed for $60,000).
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Very High
Track Record: A product of the same high school that produced lefthanders Steven Matz and Anthony Kay, Brown signed with the Phillies for $60,000 as a 33rd-round pick in 2017 and would have been drafted higher if not for a burst appendix that caused him to miss the summer showcase circuit. He then had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and made just seven appearances in 2021 due to an elbow injury and a stint on the Covid-related injured list. Brown finally stayed healthy in 2022 and had a breakout season at High-A Jersey Shore, leading the Cubs to acquire him for closer David Robertson at the trade deadline. Brown rose to Double-A Tennessee after the trade and finished the year ranked eighth in the minors with a strikeout rate of 12.9 per nine innings among pitchers with at least 100 innings.
Scouting Report: Brown is an imposing 6-foot-6 righthander who keeps growing into more stuff. His fastball topped out at 92 mph in high school but now sits 94-97 with late ride and run to generate swings and misses in the strike zone. His primary secondary pitch is a plus mid-80s power curveball with biting downward action that he can land for strikes or bury for chase swings below the zone. Brown also has a short power slider in the 87-91 mph range that is an above-average offering. His rarely-used changeup is well below-average pitch and needs further development to help him better handle lefthanded hitters. Brown is an extremely confident pitcher who aggressively goes after hitters. He pounds the strike zone with average control and is efficient with his pitch counts.
The Future: Brown has a chance to be a hard-throwing No. 3 or 4 starter if he can stay healthy. If not, he has the stuff and mentality to be an impact reliever.
Track Record: A product of the same high school that produced lefthanders Steven Matz and Anthony Kay, Brown signed with the Phillies for $60,000 as a 33rd-round pick in 2017 and would have been drafted higher if not for a burst appendix that caused him to miss the summer showcase circuit. He then had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and made just seven appearances in 2021 due to an elbow injury and a stint on the Covid-related injured list. Brown finally stayed healthy in 2022 and had a breakout season at High-A Jersey Shore, leading the Cubs to acquire him for closer David Robertson at the trade deadline. Brown rose to Double-A Tennessee after the trade and finished the year ranked eighth in the minors with a strikeout rate of 12.9 per nine innings among pitchers with at least 100 innings.
Scouting Report: Brown is an imposing 6-foot-6 righthander who keeps growing into more stuff. His fastball topped out at 92 mph in high school but now sits 94-97 with late ride and run to generate swings and misses in the strike zone. His primary secondary pitch is a plus mid-80s power curveball with biting downward action that he can land for strikes or bury for chase swings below the zone. Brown also has a short power slider in the 87-91 mph range that is an above-average offering. His rarely-used changeup is well below-average pitch and needs further development to help him better handle lefthanded hitters. Brown is an extremely confident pitcher who aggressively goes after hitters. He pounds the strike zone with average control and is efficient with his pitch counts.
The Future: Brown has a chance to be a hard-throwing No. 3 or 4 starter if he can stay healthy. If not, he has the stuff and mentality to be an impact reliever.
Track Record: A product of the same high school that produced lefthanders Steven Matz and Anthony Kay, Brown signed with the Phillies for $60,000 as a 33rd-round pick in 2017 and would have been drafted higher if not for a burst appendix that caused him to miss the summer showcase circuit. He then had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and made just seven appearances in 2021 due to an elbow injury and a stint on the Covid-related injured list. Brown finally stayed healthy in 2022 and had a breakout season at High-A Jersey Shore, leading the Cubs to acquire him for closer David Robertson at the trade deadline. Brown rose to Double-A Tennessee after the trade and finished the year ranked eighth in the minors with a strikeout rate of 12.9 per nine innings among pitchers with at least 100 innings.
Scouting Report: Brown is an imposing 6-foot-6 righthander who keeps growing into more stuff. His fastball topped out at 92 mph in high school but now sits 94-97 with late ride and run to generate swings and misses in the strike zone. His primary secondary pitch is a plus mid-80s power curveball with biting downward action that he can land for strikes or bury for chase swings below the zone. Brown also has a short power slider in the 87-91 mph range that is an above-average offering. His rarely-used changeup is well below-average pitch and needs further development to help him better handle lefthanded hitters. Brown is an extremely confident pitcher who aggressively goes after hitters. He pounds the strike zone with average control and is efficient with his pitch counts.
The Future: Brown has a chance to be a hard-throwing No. 3 or 4 starter if he can stay healthy. If not, he has the stuff and mentality to be an impact reliever.
Midseason Update: The imposing 6-foot-6 righthander has stood out in a crowded Jersey Shore rotation thanks to a pair of fastballs—two-seamer and four-seamer—and a power slider that works as an out pitch. Brown's fastball ranges from 94-97 mph, with the four-seamer currently ahead of the two-seamer. His slider is a hard-breaking 84-87 mph offering. He also throws a curveball that blends with his slider at times. Brown struggles to throw strikes, which could ultimately limit him to a reliever role, but he has the stuff to eventually be a high-leverage reliever if he ends up on that path. Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 40. Control: 40.
Career Transactions
Iowa Cubs placed RHP Ben Brown on the 7-day injured list.
RHP Ben Brown assigned to Iowa Cubs from Tennessee Smokies.
RHP Ben Brown assigned to Iowa Cubs from Tennessee Smokies.
Chicago Cubs optioned RHP Ben Brown and to Tennessee Smokies.
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