Not many players have been more universally loved among Chicago Cubs fans than Justin Steele. He has become somewhat of a folk hero to the Cubs faithful, who refer to the southpaw as the “Pride of Lucedale, Mississippi”. His outspoken love of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the New Orleans Saints, and hunting fit the Southern stereotype perfectly. These quirks have made him a fan favorite with his dominance on the mound notwithstanding.
Another scoreless outing for Justin Steele.
He owns the 2nd-best ERA (2.43) in all of baseball. pic.twitter.com/lWx84v6gGD
— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2023
A Look Into Justin Steele’s Run of Dominance
Humble Beginnings
Justin Steele has experienced a meteoric rise during his time in the Major Leagues. He was never on any mainstream radars before and during his time in the minor leagues. He was a fifth-round pick in 2014 and struggled with injuries throughout his time in the minors. Before he was called up in 2021, MLB.com ranked him as the Cubs #21 prospect. They gave him a 40 overall grade on the 20-80 scale. Steele debuted in 2021, making 20 total appearances and 9 starts to the tune of a 4.26 ERA. Entering 2022, he earned a role in the starting rotation and improved throughout the whole season. He finished with a 3.18 ERA that continued to shrink as the season progressed, posting an ERA of 0.96 in August before he was sidelined for the remainder of the season due to injuries.
A Star Is Born
After his strong 2022 campaign, Steele was slated as the Cubs’ #2 starting pitcher behind Marcus Stroman and was expected to be a vital part of the club’s success in 2023. Not only has he exceeded his expectations, he has completely blown them out of the water. At the halfway mark in the 2023 season, Justin Steele has put together ace-caliber numbers. He tallied a 9-2 record for an MLB-leading 2.43 ERA and a 2.80 FIP. His 1.03 WHIP and 0.3 HR/9 are also atop the National League. After a full calendar year of elite production, Steele’s efforts have finally been recognized after being selected to his first-ever All-Star Game this season.
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Behind Steele’s Dominance
Justin Steele is not the prototypical ace from a physical standpoint. He doesn’t have a dominant fastball like Spencer Strider or Gerrit Cole. He doesn’t have a full arsenal of filthy pitches like Shohei Ohtani. Instead, Steele mainly throws just two pitches: a four-seam fastball and a slider. The fastball sits around 92 miles per hour and generates a solid amount of spin rate. But nothing about the fastball stands out in regard to its peripherals. What does stand out about his “Mississippi fastball” is that it has generated a run value of -13, which only trails four pitchers in fastball effectiveness. His slider has also been an elite pitch both in terms of preventing runs and also in terms of movement, generating a run value of -3 and surrendering an opponent’s batting average of only .171.
Hope for the Future?
The Cubs 2023 campaign has been disappointing on many fronts, and the success of Stroman and Steele are two of the only bright spots for the club heading into the All-Star Break. Steele’s dominant stretch does give some hope for the future of the Cubs’ starting rotation. Steele is the paragon of the team’s ability to develop homegrown starting pitching, something they have failed to do many times. With the major success that the Cubs have found with Justin Steele, Cubs fans may take solace in the fact that the organization will be able to turn some of its other young pitching prospects into elite starters just like they’ve done with Steele.
Photo Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned:
Justin Steele, Marcus Stroman, Spencer Strider, Gerrit Cole, Shohei Ohtani
