Getting to Know: Cubs 13th Rounder Sam Armstrong |
When you look back at this year's MLB draft and compare it to the ones of the past for the Cubs, this was one of those years where they focussed more on college-level players as opposed to high school stars. Whether that was part of their plan going into the draft may never be known, but it does appear that the Cubs had a plan and addressed it to the best of their ability.
They continued to focus on college-level talent on day three and went with another college arm in round 13 by drafting Sam Armstrong out of Old Dominion University. Not known as a baseball school per se, the Cubs love those Old Dominion kids as that has started to become a pipeline for them. Armstrong could be the next in line, as he is coming off an outstanding Cape Cod Season. At first glance, you are immediately drawn to Armstrong and his pure size as he stands 6-2 and weighs 245 pounds. That has helped generate consistent velocity in the 93-94 MPH range, which held up well a the NCAA level this season. There is limited information on him up to this point, so scouting him was hard. However, the info we have came from this season where Armstrong had an excellent season. Armstrong emerged as the Monarch's Saturday starter for most of the season in 2023 and went 9-4 with a 3.51 ERA through 15 starts. During those 15 starts, He allowed 33 runs (30 earned) on 69 hits and 28 walks while recording 72 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched. That performance earned him a spot on the All-Sun Belt team, as he was one of the more consistent pitchers in his conference. Looking further into his season, the New Jersey native had a great year, ranking in the top five in several pitching categories. He finished fourth in the conference in wins and was also seventh in batting average against (.231), which are both important when it comes to being a starting pitcher. Armstrong also put together five straight wins to begin the season and was 6-0 at one point before struggling toward the end. His first season with Old Dominion wasn't nearly as good as his first, although he still managed to go 3-2 that season. However, it was the 5.31 ERA that was a bit concerning, so you can see the significant improvements he has made. Armstrong put together a 12-6 record with a respectable 4.36 ERA in two years with the Monarchs. One of the things the Cubs liked about him when they scouted him was his simple delivery on the mound which allowed him to repeat his delivery relatively easily. He turns his body slightly to the hitter and has a small leg kick before releasing the ball. He also creates some deception by throwing out of a low 3/4 arm slot, but it is a clean release, so there hasn't been much to worry about when it comes to releasing point issues. His low-leg kick, mixed with his 3/4 release, helps get a great extension on the mound, leading to a riding fastball that can really get on a hitter. He pairs that fastball with a pair of offspeed pitches, although his curveball is the better of the two. Not a traditional 12-6 curve, Armstrong has more of an 11/5 break in his curve as that pitch sits around 83 MPH. His fading change tends to sit around 85 MPH and is a pitch he utilized much more in his second season at the collegiate level. Armstrong will never be a front-line or even middle-of-the-rotation starter, but he has a ton of potential on the mound. It is now up to the Cubs to figure out where he fits in their organization as they will look to uncover that this summer.
