2026 Iowa Cubs Position Previews: Starting Pitchers

With players beginning to report to spring training sites in Arizona and Florida, today feels like an appropriate time to unveil this bi-weekly series exploring what the roster may look like for the Iowa Cubs Opening Night contest against Columbus on March 27. This is not meant to be a prediction. Consider it more of a momentary snapshot of where things stand at the outset of February. Injuries, trades additional signings and spring training results are sure to impact several positions in ways that no one can anticipate at this time.

This series will begin with a look at the potential group of starting pitchers in Des Moines and continue position-by-position every Tuesday and Thursday until the first week of March. Without further delay, let’s dive into current possibilities for the I-Cubs rotation which figures to be a strength early in the campaign.

Last March, when the Chicago Cubs initially released their Minor League rosters, the starting rotation headed to Iowa included Cade Horton, Chris Flexen, Jordan Wicks, Connor Noland and Caleb Kilian. An impressive quintet, the rotation helped lead the I-Cubs to a quick 10-6 start. The cohesiveness in that group was extremely short-lived with Kilian heading to the injured list on April 5, Flexen having his contract selected on April 30, Horton making his MLB debut on May 10 and Wicks spending time on the injured list while also being recalled five times throughout the season. Despite the instability on the mound early in games, Iowa finished the season eighth in the 20-team International League with a 4.60 team earned run average.

The Cubs made a big move to bolster their big-league rotation by trading for Edward Cabrera. With the former Marlins standout in the fold, it appears that Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga and Horton are likely to join Cabrera as members of the Opening Day starting rotation. The hopeful return of Justin Steele at some point during the season provides further stability and depth to that group. That leaves quality arms like Colin Rea, Javier Assad and Ben Brown to fight for a role out of the pen to begin the season. At least one member of that trio is likely to open the season in Des Moines.

With a proven arm from the group mentioned above, a premiere pitching prospect, several stalwarts from last season and veteran options signed to MiLB deals, the I-Cubs rotation is a varied group. Here are the names that should be in the mix: Jaxon Wiggins, Javier Assad, Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Connor Noland, Will Sanders, Grant Kipp, Charlie Barnes and Walker Powell.

Jaxon Wiggins

Currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the #2 prospect in the Cubs organization, Wiggins debuted at the Triple-A level in September. The Arkansas product with a big fastball worked 78.0 innings last season across three levels of the farm system. He struck out 97 batters and limited the opposition to a meager .161 batting average. Like Horton in 2025, every start for Wiggins will be a must-watch with his potential MLB debut on the horizon.

Javier Assad

The 28-year-old native of Mexico has been consistently solid for the Cubs since he made his debut in 2022. That includes a 2024 campaign in which he tied Shota Imanaga for the team-lead with 29 starts. Nothing changed performance-wise in 2025, but Assad made just eight appearances and seven starts because of an oblique strain. The right-hander returned from the injured list in August and bounced between Iowa and Chicago for the final weeks of the season. The possibility of Assad spending significant time in Iowa has more to do with a numbers crunch than anything with his performance over the years.

Ben Brown

Following an impressive MLB debut in 2024, Brown couldn’t quite take firm hold of a spot in the Cubs rotation during a roller-coaster 2025 campaign. The ups were highlighted by six scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium on April 12 and a six- inning one-hitter with nine strikeouts against Cincinnati on May 31. The downs included two options to Iowa and a move to the bullpen for the season’s final two months. When Brown and his big curveball are on, he certainly can help win games in Chicago. The question, similar to Assad’s case, is where he fits in what is sure to become a numbers game toward the end of spring training.

Jordan Wicks

The Cubs former first round pick in 2021 out of Kansas State has made 17 starts in his three partial seasons at the big league level with the Cubs. However, after making 10 starts in 2024, his eight appearances last season all came in relief. Over the last three seasons, the southpaw has appeared in 34 games for the I-Cubs, including 16 starts in 2025. Still just 26 years old, Wicks would like to parlay an impressive Triple-A showing last season into a larger role in Chicago.

Connor Noland

The former Arkansas Razorback closed the 2024 season in Des Moines and then became a stalwart in the I-Cubs rotation last season. The 26-year-old started on Opening Night and rarely missed his turn in the rotation until the Cubs tapped the brakes a bit toward the end of the year. Even with some intentionally shorter outings in September, Noland pitched the seventh-most innings in the International League with 132.2. He picked up his ninth win of the season on July 20 and could not quite reach double digits with a victory in his final nine appearances. Not known as a fireballer, Noland effectively used his repertoire to lead the I-Cubs in most pitching categories. He is rated by MLB Pipeline as the Cubs #20 prospect.

Will Sanders

Sanders was one of a small group of Cubs prospects that received a promotion from Double-A Knoxville to Iowa in the middle of the season. It has been a relatively quick ascent through the farm system for the organization’s fourth-round pick in 2023. Sanders spent almost all of his first professional campaign with High-A South Bend in 2024 before making his final appearance of the year in Knoxville. The 23-year-old opened with the Smokies in 2025 and allowed three runs or fewer in eight of his first nine starts. He made his Triple-A debut on May 30 and put together a solid June and July before struggling during the final two months. The former South Carolina standout collected seven or more strikeouts on seven occasions in 2025, four of those coming in Triple-A. Sanders is rated by MLB Pipeline as the Cubs #21 prospect.

Grant Kipp

Kipp is the first player to appear on this list who is yet to make his Triple-A debut. Despite going undrafted in 2022 out of Yale, the 26-year-old’s performance over his four seasons in the Cubs farm system have catapulted him into being ranked by MLB Pipeline as the club’s #17 prospect. After getting his feet wet during his first year as a professional, Kipp impressed over his 18 appearances in Single-A Myrtle Beach in 2023. He missed a decent chunk of 2024 with injury and made up for some of that lost time by pitching in the Arizona Fall League later that year. Kipp broke camp with Knoxville in 2025 and opened the year by allowing just one run on five hits over his first 15.0 innings. That stretch included 19 strikeouts and a Southern League Pitcher of the Week honor. He never quite captured that early season magic after the halfway point, but 2026 could be the year that Kipp appears in Iowa for the first time.

Charlie Barnes

Barnes is the lone player on this list that has never pitched in the Cubs organization to this point in his career. He inked a Minor League deal with the club in late January and brings with him some international experience. A former fourth-round choice of the Minnesota Twins in 2017, the left-hander headed to Korea following his release from his original organization in 2021. Barnes was a reliable arm for the Lotte Giants of the KBO, making 94 starts over the last four years and posting a 3.58 ERA. A shoulder injury early last season led to his release and eventually a move stateside where he briefly pitched for the Reds Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. Barnes elected free agency after the season and recently pitched well over the course of five starts in the Dominican Winter League.

Walker Powell

I was really impressed with Powell’s lone start for the Iowa Cubs after a vigorous rehab last season. Coming off his third Tommy John surgery, Powell arrived in Des Moines and worked 6.0 scoreless innings on September 19 against Toledo. The 2025 season included 12 starts at four different affiliates and a total of just 50.1 innings on the mound. The 6’8 right-hander has been effective at every level of the Minor Leagues during his career and it would be fun to see him have an opportunity at extended success in Triple-A after his first chance was cut short in 2024.

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Bullpen

Catchers