Major League Baseball announced the rosters on Thursday, and the Cubs’ squad for the first game is headlined by three Top-100 prospects, as ranked by MLB Pipeline: right-hander Cade Horton (No. 51), catcher Moises Ballasteros (No. 68) and infielder James Triantos (No. 72).

Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (illness) was scratched from his scheduled Cactus League start on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals due to flu-like symptoms. Right-hander Ben Brown, who is competing for a spot in the Opening Day starting rotation,

The Chicago Cubs entered spring training in February hoping to solidify their pitching rotation with a fifth starter. Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd were set to fill the top four spots for the team,

Six starts into the 2022 season, those questions persisted. He was carrying an ERA above 5.00 and had completed five innings just once. But something clicked over his final 18 starts. Steele averaged a tick above 5 1/3 innings over that stretch and posted a 2.69 ERA.

Steele was only 18 when he was drafted, and he still feels like one of the young guns on the team. But he will be turning 30 this summer.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — It was easy to have flashbacks of Opening Day last year as Cubs left-hander Justin Steele went up against a regular-season-like Rangers lineup in a Cactus League start Friday. “I didn’t pull my hamstring, which was a good thing,” Steele said with a smile.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele spoke after his start against the Rangers to discuss how he felt on the mound, shared some insight on how he handled this off

Cubs staff, fans, and members of the press watch Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga throw in a live batting practice during spring training at Sloan Park on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, in Mesa, Ariz. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

The Kansas City Royals face the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park, AZ, with Cole Ragans and Justin Steele as the probable pitchers. The game starts at 8:05 P

The Cubs were recently ranked as the thirteenth best team according to MLB.com. Can the Chicago Cubs return as contenders this season?

Steele tossed two scoreless innings in Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox. He allowed two hits and struck out five.

Steele was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday due to flu-like symptoms, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Steele had been set to make his third start of the spring Thursday, but he'll instead have to wait until his illness passes.