Keegan Thompson #71

Keegan is entering his eighth year in the Cubs organization after being selected in the third round of the 2017 draft...Has appeared in 80 games (23 starts) during his first three Major League seasons with the Cubs after making his debut in 2021...is 15-10 with a 3.79 ERA (83 ER/197.0 IP), 189 strikeouts compared to 93 walks, a 1.34 WHIP and a .231 opponent average (171-for-740)...Made his Major League debut May 2, 2021, in Cincinnati (0 ER/1.0 IP)...Tossed 15.0-straight innings without allowing an earned run to begin his career, the third-longest streak in Cubs history behind Larry Cheney (28.0) and Vern Olsen (15.1)...Is 13-10 with a 3.89 ERA (89 ER/205.2 IP) in 60 career Minor League games (34 starts)...has struck out 211 batters, compared to 68 walks...Earned Triple-A East Pitcher of the Week honors, Aug. 15, 2021, after tossing 8.1 scoreless innings over two starts...Was selected to the Cubs' 40-man roster Nov. 20, 2019...In 2018, was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week twice on May 27 (0 ER/6.0 IP) and June 17 (0 ER/7.0 IP) while pitching for Myrtle Beach...Attended Auburn University (Ala.)...graduated from Cullman High School in Cullman, Ala.

2023

Keegan made 19 relief appearances for Chicago in 2023, going 2-2 with one save, three holds and a 4.71 ERA (15 ER/28.2 IP) in two stints: Opening Day-May 19 and Aug. 24- Sept. 7...Limited right-handed hitters to a .167 average (10-for-60) while left-handed batters posted a .233 average (10-for-43)...Opponents hit .140 (8-for-57) with a .437 OPS with the bases empty...hit .318 (7-for-22) with an .861 OPS with runners in scoring position...Made his second career Opening Day roster and earned his first win of the season on April 10 vs. Seattle (0 ER/1.0 IP)...With Triple-A Iowa, posted a 13.09 ERA (16 ER/11.0 IP) in eight relief appearances before landing on the I.L. due to a right back strain June 19...Returned to action July 26 and posted a 2.16 ERA (2 ER/8.1 IP) in four games with Iowa from Aug. 9-20...Recalled by Chicago Aug. 24 and in his first outing Aug. 27 In Pittsburgh struck out five of seven batters faced in 2.0 scoreless innings...Optioned back to Iowa following the game Sept. 7 and went on to post a 1.80 ERA (1 ER/5.0 IP) in four relief appearances to close out the season, walking two and striking out five.

2022

In 2022, Keegan appeared in 29 games (17 starts) for the Cubs, going 10-5 with one save and a 3.76 ERA (48 ER/115.0IP) and a 1.27 WHIP....Led Cubs hurlers with 10 wins, allowed the second-fewest walks (43) and ranked third with 108 strikeouts....Was on the injured list Aug. 20-Sept. 21 with lower back tightness....Made one rehab assignment start with Triple-A Iowa, throwing 2.1 innings and allowing one run on one hit and one walk with four strikeouts....His 1.47 ERA (6 ER/36.2 IP) in relief was the lowest among Cubs relievers (min. 5 G) and 10th-best among N.L. relievers(min 12 G)....Pitched to a 2.82 ERA (22 ER/70.1 IP) at Wrigley Field, compared to 5.24 (26 ER/44.2 IP) on the road....Held opponents to one or fewer earned runs in 12 of 16home outings....Was one of 14 N.L. qualified pitchers with a win percentage of .667 or higher....Opened the season with 15.2 consecutive scoreless innings, the Cubs' longest scoreless stretch of the season....Joined Brad Wieck (2021) as the only Cubs relievers since1990 to open a season with at least 15.2 consecutive scoreless innings....Became the 10th Cubs pitcher since 1916 to start a season 6-0 (last Jake Arrieta in 2016, 9-0)....Eight of his 12 appearances out of the 'pen were at least 3.0 innings, and he did not throw fewer than 2.0 innings as a reliever....From May 14-May 3 made a franchise record (since 1901) five-straight relief outings with 3.0-plus innings pitched and one-or-fewer runs allowed....Became the fourth Cubs pitcher since 1893 with four scoreless relief appearances of at least eight outs in a month, April 9-22 (last Mike Proly, Aug. 1982)....Registered a career-high nine strikeouts on June 17 in a start against Atlanta. Notched at least seven strikeouts in three-straight outings from June 17-28....Became the first Cub to tally seven-plus strikeouts in three-straight appearances since Yu Darvish (eight straight) from Aug. 13-Sept. 20, 2020....July 26 vs. Pittsburgh, tossed a season-high 7.0 innings, becoming the first Cubs starter since Kyle Hendricks (July24, 2020 vs. Milwaukee) to make a start of at least 7.0innings, with no earned runs, no walks and at least seven strikeouts....Picked up his lone save of the season, and second of his career, Sept. 29 vs. Philadelphia....Became the fourth Cub in the last 40 years with at least10 wins and a save in the same campaign, and first since José Bautista was 10-3 with two saves in 58 games (7starts) in 1993....Was one of four pitchers in the Majors with 10 wins and at least one save.

2021

In 2021, Keegan pitched in 32 games (six starts) during his first major league season, making his major league debut in relief May 2 in Cincinnati (0 ER/1.0 IP)... Was limited by two stints on the injured list (Sept. 3-19 and Sept. 27-Oct. 4) with right shoulder inflammation... Tossed 15.0-straight innings without allowing an earned run to begin his career, the third-longest streak in Cubs history behind Larry Cheney (28.0) and Vern Olsen (15.1)... Posted a 2.43 ERA (10 ER/37.0 IP) as a reliever, compared to a 5.51 ERA (10 ER/16.1 IP) as a starter... Earned his first career win, May 8 vs. Pittsburgh, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen... Recorded his first professional save, July 23 vs. Arizona, becoming the first Cub to record a 3.0-plus inning save since Alec Mills, Sept. 13, 2019 vs. Pittsburgh... Was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, July 27 and recalled, Aug. 21 ... made four starts for Iowa, tossing 14.2 scoreless innings, allowing five hits with five walks and 16 strikeouts... Was named AAA East Pitcher of the Week, Aug. 15, after tossing 8.1 scoreless innings over two starts... Struck out a career-high seven batters over 3.0 innings in his last start of the season, Sept. 26 vs. St. Louis.

2020

Keegan spent the season at the team's South Bend alternate site.