Chicago Cubs receive massive news on 1 pitcher

According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the Cubs have been granted a fourth year minor league option on pitcher Caleb Kilian.  This is significant because it gives Chicago the flexibility to option him to the minor leagues up to five times in 2025.  Had Kilian not been granted a fourth a year option, he would have had to have been exposed to waivers prior to attempting to return him to the minor leagues.

Why was Caleb Kilian granted a fourth year minor league option? 

MLB.com indicates that certain players who miss significant time due to injury can be granted fourth year options.  One eligibility requirement is that they are less than five full professional seasons into their career.  A professional season is defined as at least 90 days on a major or minor league active roster.

Interestingly, Kilian does not have five full professional seasons despite making his MLB debut the same year in which he was drafted.  He pitched for just one month in 2019 with the Giants, he did not pitch in 2020, and then he has three full professional seasons spanning from 2021-2023.  Last year, Kilian was sidelined by an injury sustained during Spring Training, began a rehab assignment in July, and made only two appearances for the Cubs, both coming in September.

Caleb Kilian’s extra minor league option is huge for the Chicago Cubs in 2025

As the Cubs 40-man roster currently stands, they have six relievers who are out of minor league options.  Those pitchers are Caleb Thielbar, Tyson Miller, Julian Merryweather, Rob Zastryzny, Keegan Thompson, and Matt Festa.  Whether Kilian falls into a category of a player competing for a bullpen or rotation spot, his extra roster flexibility will provide Chicago with the potential ability to retain him for all of 2025 without exposing him to waivers.