Cubs sign RHP Jonathan Holder to non-guaranteed contract

The Cubs have added another reliever to the 2021 mix by signing former Yankees righthander Jonathan Holder to a non-guaranteed contract. (“Non-guaranteed” simply means the team could let him go in spring training and not have to pay him.)

Holder was the Yankees’ sixth-round pick in 2014 out of Mississippi State. He’s pitched in all or part of the last five seasons for the New Yorkers, and overall has a 4.38 ERA and 1.285 WHIP in 157 career appearances.

His best year was 2018, when he posted a 3.14 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in 60 appearances, good for 0.8 bWAR. His last two years haven’t been nearly as good, though he still has a good career walk rate (2.7 per nine innings).

Per Fangraphs, Holder is a four-pitch pitcher who relies primarily on his fastball and changeup.

Here he is making a slick defensive play against the Twins in 2019 [VIDEO].

Holder also has some postseason experience, one game each in a division series in 2018 (Red Sox) and 2020 (Rays).

Seems like a reasonable signing, particularly with a non-guaranteed contract. Holder turns 28 in June.

With this signing, the Cubs’ 40-man roster stands at 36 players.