Javier Assad #72

Javier made his major league debut in 2022 after entering the year having never pitched past the Double-A level... Is 25-36 with a 3.96 ERA (232 ER/527.2 IP), 479 strikeouts and a 1.37 WHIP in 112 games (104 starts) in the Minor Leagues... Was named a Midwest League mid-season All-Star in 2018 and a Carolina League mid-season All-Star in 2019... Pitched for Hermosillo in the Mexican Winter League in both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 offseasons....Signed by the Cubs July 27, 2015, out of Baja California, Mexico, by scouts Sergio Hernández & Louie Eljaua.

2022

Javier made his Major League debut with the Cubs in 2022, going 2-2 with a 3.11 ERA (13 ER/37.2 IP) with 20 walks, 30 strikeouts and a 1.46 WHIP in nine games (eight starts)....Was selected as the Cubs "27th man" for the Aug. 23 doubleheader vs. the Cardinals and started game one, tossing 4.0 shutout frames, in his Major League debut....Made his second start, Aug. 29 in Toronto, tossing 5.0 shutout innings... STATS, Inc., noted he was the first pitcher in the modern era to record scoreless starts against teams 10-or-more games over .500 at the time in his first two career games (9.0 IP, 0 R)....Finished his season with 11.1 scoreless frames spanning his final three starts, including scoreless outings Sept. 29 vs. the Phillies (5.0 IP) and Oct. 4 at Cincinnati (5.1 IP)....Went 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA (32 ER/108.1 IP) in 23 games (21 starts) between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa to start the year ... struck out 111 batters compared to 35 walks with a 1.24 WHIP....Started the season with the Smokies and allowed two or fewer runs in seven-straight starts from May 26-June 29, posting a 1.73 ERA (7 ER/36.1 IP) during the run....Was promoted to Iowa on July 2 and in three Aug. starts posted a 1.56 ERA (3 ER/17.1 IP) with a .170 average against and a .490 opponent OPS.