Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown is entering the 2026 season with plenty to prove. The 26-year-old struggled a year ago, posting a 5.92 ERA across 25 appearances (15 starts) while logging 106.1 innings. With just one minor league option remaining, finding success in 2026 is critical for his long-term outlook.
Brown arrived at camp taking full accountability for last season’s struggles, but he’s also come with a plan, featuring an intriguing new pitch he hopes will help turn things around. That pitch, a sinker, is playing quite well so far this spring, and even though it is early, it is clear that the Cubs should emphasize Brown relying on his sinker more than his four-seam fastball in 2026.
Why the Chicago Cubs should have Ben Brown rely on his sinker instead of his fastball in 2026
Despite averaging a solid 96 mph, Brown’s four-seam fastball didn’t fool major league hitters last year. Opponents hit .315 against it and slugged .566, while generating just a 14% whiff rate. Considering he threw the pitch 55% of the time, it’s easy to see why his ERA became inflated, as hitters frequently teed off on it. The pitch is fairly straight and doesn’t feature much movement or ride, making it easier for opposing batters to square up and lay off when it is outside of the strike zone.
Now imagine if he began replacing that pitch with his new sinker, which not only has impressed so far this spring but would give him a fastball option that has good downward movement. In his outing on March 6, he not only threw it slightly harder, around 97 mph, but it also outperformed his four-seam fastball across the board. The sinker generated more strikes (85% compared to 56%), induced far more chases (67% versus 11% on the fastball), and limited hard contact, producing an average exit velocity of just 82 mph compared to 99 mph against the four-seamer.
Although Brown didn’t have great overall results in that outing, allowing three runs over 2.2 innings while throwing 48 pitches, the underlying metrics on the sinker suggest it’s a pitch he should consider using more frequently, as it could pay off over the long run. One notable detail from the appearance is that he did not throw a single sinker to a left-handed hitter, a matchup he’ll likely need to grow more comfortable with if he plans to rely on the pitch more often.
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