The Chicago Cubs have continued trimming down their spring training roster this week, sending pitcher Caleb Kilian back to the minors.
Kilian was one of five players trimmed from the roster on Saturday, bringing the Cubs to 54 players as they continue preparations for the season.
Pitcher Cody Poteet, whom the Cubs acquired from the New York Yankees in the Cody Bellinger trade, was also optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Jack Neely, who made his MLB debut with the Cubs last season and appeared in six games, was also optioned to Triple-A, along with Gavin Hollowell, who appeared in one game for the Cubs last season and has pitched in a total of 33 games between Chicago and Colorado.
Finally, pitcher Riley Martin was returned to minor league camp, the Cubs announced.
Kilian appeared to be ticketed for the big league roster before last season when he suffered a teres major strain in his right shoulder, costing himself several months of action. He was activated from the injured list in early July and optioned to the minor leagues, but did get into two games late in the season, pitching 10.2 innings and giving up five earned runs for the North Siders.
Poteet pitched in five games last season for the Yankees, making four starts for the Bronx Bombers. He posted a 3-0 record and a 2.22 ERA for the Yankees, with 16 strikeouts, eight walks and six earned runs allowed in 24.1 innings of work.
The Cubs acquired Neely from the Yankees in the 2024 trade that sent Mark Leiter Jr. to the Bronx. Neely posted a 3.12 ERA in eight games with Triple-A Iowa last season and made his big-league debut with the Cubs in August. He surrendered six earned runs in six innings of work, with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Holloway was claimed off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks last season by the Cubs, appearing in seven games for Triple-A Iowa. He posted a 1-1 record and a 1.93 ERA in those games, and ultimately was called up to Chicago, where he pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless baseball.
Martin, a sixth-round pick of the Cubs in the 2021 MLB Draft, appeared in 43 games last season at Triple-A Iowa, with a 4-4 record and a 4.48 ERA. He struck out 91 batters and walked 45 in 60.1 innings of work.
The Cubs, who have MLB’s best spring training record at 8-0-3, will take on the Cincinnati Reds at Mesa’s Sloan Park on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m.
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