Justin Steele

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #22 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Steele became the highest-drafted Mississippi high school pitcher in 15 years when the Cubs selected him in the fifth round in 2014 and signed him for $1 million. He had Tommy John surgery in 2017, missed most of 2018 recovering and was limited by an oblique injury in 2019, but he rebounded to earn his first big league callup in 2020. He didn't get to pitch before returning to the alternate training site, and then suffered a hamstring injury.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The Cubs prepared Steele for a bullpen role at the alternate site and saw his stuff tick up in shorter stints. His fastball jumped to 94-96 mph with riding life, and he integrated a sharp, mid-80s slider into his arsenal that was rarely used before. He still has his downer, 76-80 mph curveball that was his best pitch as a starter and a usable changeup with late fade. Steele struggled to keep a consistent rhythm in his delivery as a starter and suffered control problems, but he throws enough strikes in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cubs haven't given up on Steele as a starter but like what he offers in the bullpen. His major league debut should come in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #25 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Steele showed steady production through his climb up the ladder until Tommy John surgery in 2017 kept him out until the middle of 2018. The injuries that plagued Steele in 2019 were less severe but limited him to just 38.2 innings at Double-A Tennessee.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the injuries, Steele brings an intriguing mix from the left side. He starts his repertoire with a low-to-mid 90s fastball that has touched as high as 97 mph. The pitch shows riding life up in the zone. His best offering is a potentially plus curveball in the 76-80 mph range as well as a seldomused changeup. The Cubs are working to add a sinker to his arsenal, and he's shown a mid-80s slider.
  
  THE FUTURE: Steele showed premium stuff in spurts, but 2019 was a lost year. The Cubs will try to get him back on track in 2020, when he'll work toward his ceiling as a back-end rotation option.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #9 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Cubs signed four pitchers to seven-figure bonuses in the 2014 draft. That haul included Steele, whose combination of athleticism and a low-90s fastball from the left side convinced the Cubs to sign him for $1 million, the highest bonus awarded in the fifth round that year. He ranked No. 12 on the Northwest League Top 20 during his pro debut, and had turned in a Carolina League all-star season at high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2017 before requiring Tommy John surgery that kept him out until early-July 2018.
  
  Scouting Report: Steele returned from surgery in 11 months and looked as strong as ever. With Myrtle Beach he showed a fastball that sat in the low 90s and touched 95 mph with sink and finish. He backed it up with a sharp slider in the mid-80s as well as a downer curveball that flashed plus in the 76-80 mph range. He was just beginning to regain the feel for his changeup. He repeats his delivery thanks to plus athleticism and also boasts excellent arm speed.
  
  The Future: After building innings in the Arizona Fall League, Steele appears headed for Double-A Tennessee to begin 2019. He has the upside of a No. 4 starter. Steele was added to the 40-man roster in December to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #18 prospect in 2018
  Steele was having a breakthrough season, his best since signing for $1 million in 2014. Always highly regarded for his athleticism, Steele combined some twitchiness with improved aptitude to earn a midseason all-star nod in the high Class A Carolina League, but he didn't make it all the way through the season. He left an Aug. 1 start in the third inning due to an elbow injury and wound up requiring Tommy John surgery. Steele, when healthy, was pitching at 92 mph and hit 95 in short stints, harnessing his fastball more and throwing hard enough with ease to believe more was in the tank. He'd started learning to use the top and bottom of the zone in 2017, leading to fewer walks. His secondary pitches, a curveball with slurvy shape, earned above-average to plus grades, with a solid-average changeup that he was learning to trust more. Steele likely won't return until instructional league or perhaps the Arizona Fall League in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #24 prospect in 2017
  Originally signed for $1 million, Steele is so athletic he can get away with an unorthodox delivery in which his hands, set high, tend to drift. At times his arm doesn't catch up at foot strike and he leaves his 89-91 mph fastball up at belly-button level for hitters to feast upon. When he's on time, though, Steele can reach 95 mph with angle and late life and pound the bottom of the strike zone. That happened less frequently in 2016, though, a year when Steele actually was sent back to Arizona in June to work on his mechanics. He pitched better upon is return by working inside more effectively and challenging hitters with more conviction. His curveball ranks as his best secondary pitch, and he still varies the size and shape of it, but in the second half he threw his below-average changeup more. Due to the Cubs' pitching depth, Steele is likely headed for high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2017.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #14 prospect in 2016
  Steele signed for $1 million as a fifth-rounder in 2014 after a strong high school career in Mississippi. He stands out for his athleticism and pitching savvy. All his stuff is inconsistent, but his competitiveness and pitch-making ability is not. Steele pitches at times with a plus fastball, hitting 95 mph, sitting in the lower 90s and featuring sneaky life with late explosion in the strike zone at its best. He has two curveballs, one that he throws for strikes and another as a chase pitch, but the shape and power on the former are actually better than his supposed strikeout pitch. His changeup gives him an equalizer, a pitch he trusts to throw in any situation and that is his most consistent above-average pitch. Steele doesn't always repeat his mechanics or release point, which can lead to bouts of wildness, so he has plenty of polish to add. However, he's one of the Cubs' more exciting young starters. He could join an exciting low Class A South Bend rotation that also could include lefty Carson Sands and righties Dylan Cease and Oscar de la Cruz in 2016.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #19 prospect in 2015
  The Cubs popped three straight prep pitchers in rounds four, five and six of the 2014 draft, then signed all three for seven-figure bonuses. Steele starts off with the best profile. Pried away from Southern Mississippi with a $1 million bonus, he is a lean athlete who impressed the Cubs after signing with his competitiveness, love of practice and athleticism. His arm works well and he's shown some present control with his fastball, throwing plenty of strikes with it. Steele's stuff isn't consistent from start to start, so sometimes he tops out at 90 mph and at other times he throws as hard as 95. He throws downhill but must improve his ability to hold his velocity over longer outings. The Cubs have seen him spin a breaking ball and he's thrown a changeup, but neither secondary pitch stands out on a consistent basis. Steele may start 2015 in extended spring training and report to the Cubs' new short-season Eugene affiliate.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #121 prospect in 2014 draft
  Most of the premium high school players selected out of Mississippi tend to be athletic position players, but Steele could buck that trend. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has a lean, athletic build with room to get stronger. He comes from an athletic family, as his brother played college baseball and his father played football at Alabama. Justin jumped onto the national scene by running his fastball up to 93 mph and sitting in the low 90s at East Coast Pro last summer, before his velocity fell to the 85-87 mph range. This spring he has shown similar peaks and inconsistency. At his best early in games, Steele can sit in the low 90s and touch 95. His fastball plays up because he hides the ball well, has a quick arm and has the potential for plus life with sink and run. His velocity regularly falls to 85-87 later in outings, however. His secondary stuff remains behind his fastball. Although he doesn't use it frequently in game action, Steele's changeup shows potential and is ahead of his breaking ball, a slow, looping curveball that needs a lot of work. But he has thrown strikes this year and his athleticism allows scouts to project average control. He broke his left wrist last summer and had a screw inserted to repair it, adding to the complicated calculation teams will have to make about his value.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #12 prospect in 2015
  One of the prep pitchers the Cubs popped in the 2014 draft, Steele signed for $1 million as a fifth-round pick to pass on Southern Mississippi. Like Eugene teammate Carson Sands, Steele is a lefthander with a projectable frame and plus velocity. Steele's fastball topped out at 95 mph this season. The lefthander attacks the strike zone, generating nearly a strikeout per inning and plenty of groundballs. Steele has competitive fire and athleticism and works downhill with the fastball and also a curveball that projects as a future plus weapon. He commands his fastball well, keeping it low in the zone and has yet to allow a home run as a pro. "It's tough to know how hard a guy is throwing," one NWL manager said, "but I know hitters are having a hard time against him."

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Steele became the highest-drafted Mississippi high school pitcher in 15 years when the Cubs selected him in the fifth round in 2014 and signed him for $1 million. He had Tommy John surgery in 2017, missed most of 2018 recovering and was limited by an oblique injury in 2019, but he rebounded to earn his first big league callup in 2020. He didn't get to pitch before returning to the alternate training site, and then suffered a hamstring injury.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The Cubs prepared Steele for a bullpen role at the alternate site and saw his stuff tick up in shorter stints. His fastball jumped to 94-96 mph with riding life, and he integrated a sharp, mid-80s slider into his arsenal that was rarely used before. He still has his downer, 76-80 mph curveball that was his best pitch as a starter and a usable changeup with late fade. Steele struggled to keep a consistent rhythm in his delivery as a starter and suffered control problems, but he throws enough strikes in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cubs haven't given up on Steele as a starter but like what he offers in the bullpen. His major league debut should come in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Steele became the highest-drafted Mississippi high school pitcher in 15 years when the Cubs selected him in the fifth round in 2014 and signed him for $1 million. He had Tommy John surgery in 2017, missed most of 2018 recovering and was limited by an oblique injury in 2019, but he rebounded to earn his first big league callup in 2020. He didn't get to pitch before returning to the alternate training site, and then suffered a hamstring injury.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The Cubs prepared Steele for a bullpen role at the alternate site and saw his stuff tick up in shorter stints. His fastball jumped to 94-96 mph with riding life, and he integrated a sharp, mid-80s slider into his arsenal that was rarely used before. He still has his downer, 76-80 mph curveball that was his best pitch as a starter and a usable changeup with late fade. Steele struggled to keep a consistent rhythm in his delivery as a starter and suffered control problems, but he throws enough strikes in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cubs haven't given up on Steele as a starter but like what he offers in the bullpen. His major league debut should come in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Steele became the highest-drafted Mississippi high school pitcher in 15 years when the Cubs selected him in the fifth round in 2014 and signed him for $1 million. He had Tommy John surgery in 2017, missed most of 2018 recovering and was limited by an oblique injury in 2019, but he rebounded to earn his first big league callup in 2020. He didn't get to pitch before returning to the alternate training site, and then suffered a hamstring injury.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The Cubs prepared Steele for a bullpen role at the alternate site and saw his stuff tick up in shorter stints. His fastball jumped to 94-96 mph with riding life, and he integrated a sharp, mid-80s slider into his arsenal that was rarely used before. He still has his downer, 76-80 mph curveball that was his best pitch as a starter and a usable changeup with late fade. Steele struggled to keep a consistent rhythm in his delivery as a starter and suffered control problems, but he throws enough strikes in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cubs haven't given up on Steele as a starter but like what he offers in the bullpen. His major league debut should come in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Steele showed steady production through his climb up the ladder until Tommy John surgery in 2017 kept him out until the middle of 2018. The injuries that plagued Steele in 2019 were less severe but limited him to just 38.2 innings at Double-A Tennessee.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the injuries, Steele brings an intriguing mix from the left side. He starts his repertoire with a low-to-mid 90s fastball that has touched as high as 97 mph. The pitch shows riding life up in the zone. His best offering is a potentially plus curveball in the 76-80 mph range as well as a seldomused changeup. The Cubs are working to add a sinker to his arsenal, and he’s shown a mid-80s slider.
  
  THE FUTURE: Steele showed premium stuff in spurts, but 2019 was a lost year. The Cubs will try to get him back on track in 2020, when he’ll work toward his ceiling as a back-end rotation option. BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 45 Risk: High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Steele showed steady production through his climb up the ladder until Tommy John surgery in 2017 kept him out until the middle of 2018. The injuries that plagued Steele in 2019 were less severe but limited him to just 38.2 innings at Double-A Tennessee.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite the injuries, Steele brings an intriguing mix from the left side. He starts his repertoire with a low-to-mid 90s fastball that has touched as high as 97 mph. The pitch shows riding life up in the zone. His best offering is a potentially plus curveball in the 76-80 mph range as well as a seldomused changeup. The Cubs are working to add a sinker to his arsenal, and he's shown a mid-80s slider.
  
  THE FUTURE: Steele showed premium stuff in spurts, but 2019 was a lost year. The Cubs will try to get him back on track in 2020, when he'll work toward his ceiling as a back-end rotation option.