Throwing 98 MPH Doesn’t Guarantee You a Job in MLB
Yacksel Ríos hadn’t pitched in the majors since June 30, 2023 with the A’s due to a diagnosis of Raynaud syndrome that required surgical correction. He also underwent a procedure to address an axillary branch aneurysm in his right shoulder, which sidetracked him for much of the next two seasons. Though he was able to pitch 30 innings at Triple-A with the Mets in 2024, last year saw him log a total of three innings in four total appearances at three levels.
He elected free agency last November and inked a minor league deal with the Cubs in January since no organization was willing to guarantee anything to a reliever with a career 6.21 ERA who was soon to turn 33 years old. Ríos had struck out 93 batters in just over 98 career innings, but he’d also walked 56 with a staggering 98 hits allowed. Even Devo doesn’t like those numbers.
The one thing Ríos had going for him was his fastball velocity, and it was on full display during Sunday’s loss to the Dodgers. Making his first big league appearance in nearly three years, the righty topped 99.2 mph while recording the Cubs’ 10 hardest pitches of the game. He struck out two with no walks, hits, or runs allowed in 1.2 innings, and it was clear that Rick Sutcliffe and Boog Sciambi were pleasantly surprised in the Marquee broadcast booth.
Thing is, that might not be enough to keep Ríos on the active roster. The Cubs have been dealt blow after blow to the pitching staff, which is why they’ve had to call up so many arms that weren’t even on the 40-man to start the season. Vince Velasquez — who likewise hadn’t appeared in the bigs since 2023 — pitched well in Sunday’s loss, but was immediately designated for assignment to make room for Ríos. Lefty Charlie Barnes hadn’t made an MLB appearance since 2021 with the Twins, and he’s now had two stints with the Cubs this year.
With righty Phil Maton being activated for the Padres series, the team needs to clear a space in the bullpen. They might want to keep another southpaw in the pen, particularly after losing both Caleb Thielbar and Riley Martin to the IL in quick succession. But since Barnes has two options and Ríos has none, my strong preference would be for the Cubs to see what they might have in the hard-throwing righty.
Whatever choice they end up making, it remains wild to me that throwing 98 mph doesn’t guarantee you a job in Major League Baseball. Hell, you might not even get a shot in the minors, as I discovered recently. Even armed with all kinds of understanding about spin, movement, control, and command, I remain entranced by the mere concept of being able to throw a baseball in the upper 90s.
But when we’re talking about prep players routinely doing so, it’s not nearly as novel a feat as it once was. And when you consider that organizations have fewer minor league roster spots than ever, they’re going to prioritize those players in whom they’ve invested the most money. So even if you’re 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds with a fastball that sits 95-96 and touches 98, independent ball could be the only option.
That’s the case for Chicago native Ernie Day, a 24-year-old righty who received a $150,000 signing bonus as a 14th-round pick by the Mariners in 2023. The Taft High School product verbally committed to Michigan State before taking the juco route at Iowa Western Community College. He then pitched for one season at Campbell University before being drafted.
Though he put up big strikeout numbers in parts of three minor league seasons, punching out 42 batters in 38.2 innings, he also issued 55 walks. That was enough for the M’s to decide it was best for him to work out the kinks on someone else’s dime. That has led him to the Kane County Cougars, a former Cubs affiliate that is now in the independent American Association.
He spent much of the offseason working with Cressey Sports Performance, an elite training outfit trusted by many pros, and has more recently been throwing at Medici Training Center near Indianapolis. I was there for his last live pen before heading to the Cougars, when my son stood in against him and was frozen by a fastball on the black. The kid was embarrassed and said he was glad he wasn’t tagged, but I think a little grace can be extended based on the matchup.
Ernie Day
6’4
230lbsFree Agent looking for Affiliate opportunity
Currently signed with the Kane County Cougars (American Association)
Data Available upon request
773-322-6433
Recent Live At Bats at @CresseySP pic.twitter.com/mQzVaTGaa2
— Ernie Day (@ErnieDay_) April 1, 2026
The bigger point is to illustrate just how high the bar has been set and how difficult it is just to get your foot in the door if you aren’t immediately checking all the boxes. Based on how quickly the Cubs are burning through relievers, not to mention their proximity to Kane County, maybe they should give Day a look. Not that he’d be an option for the bigs, of course, but we know how much they love finding projects with upside.
