Rookie Hunter Bigge throws blistering ninth inning to help give Cubs win over Orioles

Rookie Hunter Bigge throws blistering ninth inning to help give Cubs win over Orioles originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Who is Hunter Bigge?

Well, after Tuesday night's 9-2 Cubs win over the Orioles, you know him now. The Cubs rookie tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning, hurling blistering 100 mph+ fastballs against the Orioles' 3-5 batting order.

He threw 13 pitches, recording one strikeout and earned the save. Surprisingly, Bigge's climb to the big leagues was an arduous one filled with injuries.

Initially, the Cubs selected the right-hander in the 12th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He tore a labrum in his hip during the 2021 season and his oblique this past spring. He spent five seasons in the Cubs' minor league system, working his way up.

So when he got the call that he was being called up to the majors after Colton Brewer endured a self-inflicted injury, he burst into tears.

“I flashed back through a lot of memories of playing in high school, playing in college, getting drafted, going through the ups and downs of pro ball,” Bigge said to Marquee Sports Network. “All the hard work and time that I put in and all the sacrifices my family and I have made to get to this point.

“It’s been my dream since I was a little kid so I think all those emotions just came up.”

In 11 appearances with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs this season, Bigge is holding a 0.77 ERA and 0.69 WHIP. He's recorded 19 strikeouts and six walks in 11.2 innings, allowing just two hits.

Bigge attributes his breakthrough this season to growing confidence after taking the pressure off himself to succeed. He's starting to trust his pitches more and attacking hitters in the zone more than he has before.

“I learned that I am capable of pitching in the big leagues,” Bigge said. “And it doesn’t matter who’s in the box. If I’m playing my game, I’m gonna be able to have success.”

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