Ben Brown Named 5th Starter, Brad Keller Makes Roster

Sources confirmed to Cubs Insider that Brad Keller was informed on Tuesday that he had made the active roster. Keller was signed as a non-roster invitee in late January, giving him a chance to prove himself before the Tokyo Series rolled around. He traveled to Japan as part of the taxi squad, but the front office chose to keep him off the roster for the time being.

Keller has looked fantastic this spring, with a 3.86 ERA in 11.2 innings. His velocity has been higher than in the past, even hitting 98 mph during Monday’s game against the Braves. He’ll begin the season in the bullpen, with the ability to start a game if needed due to injuries.

In other news, Ben Brown will indeed be the Cubs’ faith starter to open the season. Brown entered spring training in a battle with Colin Rea for the last rotation spot, but CI noted back at the start of camp that the 25-year-old appeared to have the inside track to winning the job. The young right-hander looked very strong last season before a benign mass in his neck cost him most of the year. Now he’ll look to use his powerful fastball/curveball combo to offer a very different look from a group of starters who otherwise sit around 92 mph.