Cubs top pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell to have season-ending elbow surgery

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Chicago Cubs pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell will have season-ending elbow surgery, dashing his hopes of making his major league debut in 2025.

Cubs assistant general manager Jared Banner made the announcement Tuesday before the team opened a three-game series at San Francisco. Banner said Birdsell would have the procedure done by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, but didn’t provide details of the extent of the surgery or offer a timeline for Birdsell’s return.

“We’ll have more information after the surgery,” Banner said. “After the surgery we can talk about timelines.”

The 25-year-old right-hander, Chicago’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2024, had come off the 60-day injured list July 18 to join Triple-A Iowa, only to go back on the IL on Aug. 8 with an elbow injury that has bothered him all year. He was 1- 1 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts at Triple-A this season.

Chicago’s fifth-round pick selected 143rd overall in the 2022 amateur draft out of Texas Tech, Birdsell was a non-roster invitee to spring training. He was placed on the 60-day IL on March 19.

Birdsell has a 14-19 record and 3.35 ERA in the minors over 59 appearances with 58 starts spanning 276 2/3 innings.

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By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer