2025 Stats
W-L
0-1
ERA
6.75
WHIP
2.63
K
5
SV
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Brown turned heads with his performance in spring training and pitched well for the Cubs during the regular season between the rotation and bullpen before a neck issue ended his campaign. It was found that he was dealing with a benign area of concern in his neck, but after a follow-up scan in November, he was cleared for a normal offseason. Brown is a 6-foot-6 righty who gets good extension and pulls the string on a knuckle curve to great effect. His knuckle curve had an absurd .134 xBA and 51 percent whiff rate last season. The lack of a third pitch could be an issue and the jury is still out as to whether he can make it as a starting pitcher. Brown was significantly better as a starter than as a reliever last season, which offers hope that he could snag one of the final rotation spots with a strong showing in camp. Read Past Outlooks
Nabs rotation spot
The Cubs informed Brown on Tuesday that he will begin the season as the club's No. 5 starter, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
The 25-year-old took the loss out of the bullpen in the season opener in Japan last week as he surrendered three runs (two earned) across 2.2 innings in a loss to the Dodgers, but he apparently showed enough during camp to win the rotation spot. Brown started in eight of his 15 appearances as a rookie last season and had a 3.58 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 64:19 K:BB across 55.1 innings. He may need to perform similarly in 2025 to retain the rotation spot since Javier Assad (oblique) will potentially return early in the season.
The 25-year-old took the loss out of the bullpen in the season opener in Japan last week as he surrendered three runs (two earned) across 2.2 innings in a loss to the Dodgers, but he apparently showed enough during camp to win the rotation spot. Brown started in eight of his 15 appearances as a rookie last season and had a 3.58 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 64:19 K:BB across 55.1 innings. He may need to perform similarly in 2025 to retain the rotation spot since Javier Assad (oblique) will potentially return early in the season.
Pitching Stats
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2025
2024
Minor League Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
65
Last 10 Games
65
Last 5 Games
65
How many pitches does Ben Brown generally throw?
1-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
91-100
101-110
111-120
121+
What part of the game does Ben Brown generally pitch?
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2023
-21%
BAA vs RHP
2025
Even Split
| BAA | K | BB | H | HR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2023vs Left | .239 | 36 | 13 | 26 | 3 | |||
| Since 2023vs Right | .190 | 33 | 9 | 19 | 2 | |||
| 2025vs Left | .333 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2025vs Right | .333 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2024vs Left | .233 | 33 | 13 | 24 | 3 | |||
| 2024vs Right | .181 | 31 | 6 | 17 | 2 | |||
| 2023vs Left | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2023vs Right | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| More Splits→ | View More Split Stats | |||||||
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2023
-10%
ERA at Home
2025
-100%
ERA on Road
| ERA | WHIP | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2023Home | 3.48 | 1.21 | 20.2 | 12.2 | 3.5 | ||||
| Since 2023Away | 3.86 | 1.13 | 37.1 | 9.9 | 3.4 | ||||
| 2025Home | 6.75 | 2.63 | 2.2 | 16.9 | 10.1 | ||||
| 2025Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2024Home | 3.00 | 1.00 | 18.0 | 11.5 | 2.5 | ||||
| 2024Away | 3.86 | 1.13 | 37.1 | 9.9 | 3.4 | ||||
| 2023Home | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2023Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| More Splits→ | View More Split Stats | ||||||||
Stat Review
How does Ben Brown compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
K/BB
1.67K/9
16.9BB/9
10.1HR/9
0.0Fastball
95.6 mphERA
6.75WHIP
2.63BABIP
.613GB/FB
4.00Left On Base
57.1%Exit Velocity
0.0 mphBarrels/BBE
0.0%Spin Rate
0 rpmBalls Hit 95+ MPH
0.0%Swinging Strike
20.0%Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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The RotoWire staff shares their favorite sleeper pitchers, including young Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
Acquired from the Phillies for David Robertson in a 2022 deadline deal, Brown has dealt with a fair share of arm injuries in his career, but he was able to break through and make his MLB debut early in his age-24 season. He has a powerful arsenal and stands an intimidating 6-foot-6, but a 15.8 percent walk rate last year at Triple-A raised concerns about his control, even while accounting for the automated balls and strikes system that led to inflated walk rates for Triple-A pitchers last season. Brown leans heavily on his 97 mph four-seamer and upper-80s power curveball, with his changeup serving as a below-average, seldom-used third pitch. He's also capable of throwing an above-average slider, although he has shelved that pitch early in his big-league career. Brown has a high strikeout ceiling on a per-start basis, but he carries significant long-term durability risk and still needs to prove he has the command to start long term in the majors.
More Fantasy News
Still competing for fifth spot
Brown remains in the mix for the Cubs' No. 5 rotation spot along with Colin Rea, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Takes loss in opener
Brown (0-1) was the pitcher of record in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Dodgers in Tokyo, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out five over 2.2 innings.
ANALYSIS
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Won't be moved to bullpen yet
The Cubs are expected to keep Brown stretched out as a starting pitcher rather than move him to the bullpen at the start of the season, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Allows three runs in spring start
Brown allowed three runs on four hits across 3.2 innings in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Royals. He struck out five.
ANALYSIS
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Competing as starter
Manager Craig Counsell said Brown has hit the ground running in camp and he's being evaluated as a starting pitcher, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Opening for MLB debut?
Justin Steele is headed for the injured list after suffering a strained hamstring Thursday, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, and Brown could be in the mix to fill the vacant rotation spot.
ANALYSIS
The 24-year-old righty was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in early March and never seemed to have much of a chance to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster, but he pitched well during spring training with just one run allowed and a 12:5 K:BB across 14 innings. Brown struggled upon being promoted to Triple-A Iowa last season with a 5.33 ERA in 22 outings, but his spring success and standing as a top prospect could put him on the radar for early-season starts with Chicago's rotation depth being tested.
The 24-year-old righty was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in early March and never seemed to have much of a chance to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster, but he pitched well during spring training with just one run allowed and a 12:5 K:BB across 14 innings. Brown struggled upon being promoted to Triple-A Iowa last season with a 5.33 ERA in 22 outings, but his spring success and standing as a top prospect could put him on the radar for early-season starts with Chicago's rotation depth being tested.