July 28, 2023

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Less than two weeks after being released by the Chicago Cubs, Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, B.C.) has signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

The signing appeared on the “Transactions” section of the Braves website yesterday.

After parts of four seasons as an effective reliever with the Cubs, Wick failed to crack the big league team’s roster out of spring training in March and struggled to an 8.60 ERA in 23 appearances with triple-A Iowa.

In 2022, the 30-year-old right-hander enjoyed his first full major league campaign with the Cubs after overcoming a serious oblique injury that sidelined him for the majority of 2021. Last season, Wick topped all Canadian big-league pitchers with 64 appearances and posted a 4.22 ERA, while striking out 69 in 64 innings.

The Cubs signed the Junior National Team alum to a one-year, $1.55-million contract prior to this season.

The St. Louis Cardinals originally selected Wick as a catcher in the ninth round of the 2012 MLB draft. While Wick was learning how to catch at the professional level, he batted a combined .292 with 20 home runs in 74 games between low-A and class-A in 2014 before he was converted into a pitcher in 2015.

On February 16, 2018, Wick was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals by the San Diego Padres. He’d make his major league debut with the Padres in 2018 and post a 6.48 ERA in 10 appearances.

Wick will now likely join fellow Canadian right-hander Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) on the triple-A Gwinnett Stripers’ pitching staff.