Cubs add veteran experience and starting pitching depth with the addition of RHP Vince Velazquez to a minor league deal.

According to Milb Central, the Chicago Cubs have signed veteran starting pitcher Vince Velasquez to a minor-league deal.

Velasquez, 33, has not pitched in a major league game since 2023 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In eight starts that season, he posted a 3.86 ERA with 37 strikeouts, 14 walks, a 1.313 WHIP, and held hitters to a .240 batting average in 37.1 innings pitched.

Last year, Velasquez spent time with both the Cleveland Guardian’s Triple-A team and the Lotte Giants of the KBO. In both leagues combined in 2025, he posted a 4.88 ERA with 123 strikeouts, 68 walks, and a 1.670 WHIP in 116.2 innings pitched. He appeared in 29 games and made 25 starts.

Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft, Velasquez has spent nine seasons in the major leagues with five different teams. Those teams include the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox, as well as the Pirates and Astros. He’s posted a 4.88 career ERA and has made 144 starts.

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Although it is doubtful that Velazquez will make the Cubs Opening Day roster, adding a veteran arm to a Cubs pitching roster that has been bitten by the injury bug the last couple of seasons is always nice. Let’s be real, for a team to have a successful season and a deep run in the playoffs, there needs to be at least seven or eight guys available to make starts throughout the season.

Does this mean the Cubs are now out on right-hander Zac Gallen, who they’ve been rumored to be interested in? Let’s hope not, but adding another arm to the minor-league roster is a smart play for the Cubs. Â