MESA, Ariz. — Cubs left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga has started spring training demonstrating a noticeable increase in his fastball velocity, raising optimism among the team and fans. While Imanaga had playfully aimed for a 97 mph fastball, his opening day average already reached 93 mph, signaling progress toward his goal and boosting confidence in his performance.
Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy expressed approval, noting,
“We’ll take, like, 94, 95. That’d be great.”
Imanaga emphasized that while velocity is not the sole focus of his pitching approach, it does provide a clear advantage.
“I want to preface by saying, for me, velo isn’t everything,”
he said through an interpreter.
“But having velocity obviously is an advantage. Today, [I] felt like the velo was up. So just overall, my takeaway was that it was a good start.”
Building Momentum After Last Season’s Setback
Imanaga is not traditionally known as a power pitcher, but last year a hamstring injury affected his speed, causing his fastball average to dip from 91.7 mph in 2024 to 90.8 mph in 2025. This slight drop impacted the effectiveness of his splitter, a key secondary pitch that benefits from a greater velocity gap. Manager Craig Counsell expressed confidence in Imanaga’s trajectory, stating,
“I was really happy with how he left [last season]. Very confident that he would put himself in a very good position, and he was ready to do that.”
In his first spring outing against the San Diego Padres, Imanaga pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings, allowing three hits. The fastest pitch he threw was a 94.1 mph fastball that struck out infielder Sung-Mun Song on the outside corner in the first inning, highlighting his capacity for increased power.
Jonathon Long Progressing Toward World Baseball Classic Participation
First baseman Jonathon Long adjusted his plans to join Team Chinese Taipei for the World Baseball Classic, moving his flight from Tuesday to Friday as he recovers from a left elbow sprain sustained during a recent in-game collision. Manager Counsell reported that Long’s recovery has gone well, with no signs of serious injury on X-rays and diminishing soreness. “He’s doing much better,” Counsell said.
“No issue with X-rays or anything like that. The soreness is dissipating. Still a little residual soreness, but it’s the kind that’s improving every day.”
Long resumed batting practice on Tuesday and is expected to increase his activity shortly. Counsell added,
“He doesn’t really want to get on a plane and have some question about his availability. He’s trending well.”
Michael Conforto Begins Workouts Amid Minor League Deal
Outfielder Michael Conforto joined Cubs’ team workouts on Tuesday, taking part in defensive drills and batting practice alongside several new teammates. Although he was not available for media questions due to the pending finalization of his minor league contract, Conforto met privately with manager Craig Counsell, who expressed confidence in his attitude and readiness.
“I thought Michael laid it out really well, where he’s at,”
Counsell said.
“He’s in a good place. You learn from all your experiences, [and it] puts you in a good place. You have uncertainty when you come to camp on a non-roster deal, and I think he’s in a position to use that uncertainty in a really good way.”
Counsell expects to place Conforto in the lineup by Sunday after four days of preparation in camp.
Spring Training Developments Signal Optimism for Cubs’ Season
The advancements shown by Shota Imanaga’s velocity this spring demonstrate a crucial step in his performance enhancement, potentially increasing his effectiveness on the mound. Coupled with Jonathon Long’s steady recovery and Michael Conforto’s integration into the squad, the Cubs are navigating spring training with cautious optimism. These positive indicators provide hope for stronger pitching and lineup depth heading into the regular season, with fans and staff alike eager to see how these developments influence the team’s competitiveness moving forward.
