The Cubs select Jordan Wicks 21st overall in the 2021 MLB Draft

With the 21st selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Cubs selected LHP Jordan Wicks out of Kansas State University.

In a class that isn’t particularly loaded with left-handed pitching, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Wicks is regarded by many as the top lefty in the draft. His best weapon is a low-80s changeup, and his fastball sits in the low 90s. He also throws a low-80s slider and occasionally mixes in a curveball, though that’s clearly his least developed pitch.

There are reasons to be skeptical of Wicks. There’s a lot of effort in his delivery, and he hasn’t really been dominant at the collegiate level aside from his four-start 2020 season, when he posted an 0.35 ERA with 26 strikeouts and four walks over 26 innings. Wicks, who had a 3.61 ERA with 86 strikeouts and 26 walks over 84.2 frames as a freshman, posted similar numbers during his 2021 season, posting a 3.70 ERA with 118 Ks and 28 BBs. He struggled to prevent runs against Big 12 opponents, putting up a 4.47 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 18 walks in 50.1 innings. But at least he has a lot of experience against elite college competition, meaning his transition to pro ball shouldn’t be too massive of a jump.