When the Cubs claimed left-hander Ryan Rolison off waivers from the White Sox, it didn’t exactly send shockwaves through the league. But this is the kind of low-risk, high-upside move that front offices love to make when they’ve built enough pitching depth to take a few calculated swings. Rolison, a former first-round pick, made his MLB debut last season with the Rockies, and while the results were rough, there are some intriguing signs beneath the surface that suggest he’s more than just a lottery ticket.

Let’s start with the raw numbers – and yeah, they’re not pretty. In 31 appearances with Colorado, Rolison posted a 7.02 ERA over 42.1 innings.

He struck out just 13% of the batters he faced while walking over 10%, and opponents hit a scorching .318 against him. That’s the kind of stat line that usually leads to a quiet exit from a 40-man roster, not a second chance with a new club.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Rolison still has a minor league option year remaining, and that flexibility alone gives him a leg up on other fringe arms heading into spring training. The Cubs can stash him in Triple-A Iowa, let him work through adjustments, and call him up when needed without forcing a roster crunch. That’s a valuable asset for a team with postseason ambitions and a need to keep fresh arms ready throughout the grind of a 162-game season.

So why take the shot on Rolison? For one, his pitch mix still flashes potential.

He works with a 93 mph fastball and mixes in a curveball, slider, and the occasional changeup. That’s a full starter’s arsenal, and while the execution hasn’t been there at the big-league level, the tools are intact.

In Triple-A last season, he gave a glimpse of what he’s capable of: a 3.34 ERA over 29.2 innings with a healthy 25.2% strikeout rate. That’s not just surviving – that’s missing bats and showing command.

Of course, success in the minors doesn’t always translate to the majors, especially for pitchers coming out of Colorado’s system. The altitude, the ball movement, the mental toll – it’s a tough environment to develop in. Now, Rolison gets a fresh start in Chicago, where the Cubs have quietly built a reputation for helping pitchers find their groove again.

And that brings us to the Steele connection.

Justin Steele, one of the Cubs’ biggest pitching success stories in recent years, shares some key traits with Rolison. Both are lefties with fastballs that play up thanks to unique movement profiles.

Steele’s rise wasn’t immediate either – it took time, development, and a clear plan from the Cubs’ pitching infrastructure. But once it clicked, he turned into a frontline starter.

That doesn’t guarantee Rolison will follow the same path, but it does show there’s a blueprint in place for turning potential into production.

The Cubs aren’t asking Rolison to be a savior. They’re asking him to compete, to buy into their system, and to see if there’s another level he can reach. If he does, he’s not just a depth piece – he’s a controllable left-handed arm with upside, eligible for arbitration in 2027 and under team control through 2029.

That’s a long runway for a pitcher who, not long ago, was viewed as a first-round talent. And in a sport where pitching depth is currency, Rolison might just be the kind of under-the-radar pickup that pays off big when the season hits its dog days.

For now, it’s a wait-and-see move. But with the Cubs’ track record and Rolison’s raw ingredients, this is a name worth keeping an eye on as spring training approaches.