Cubs Sign Reliever Collin Snider To Minor League Deal

The Chicago Cubs just dipped back into the bullpen market, signing former Mariners and Royals righty Collin Snider to a minor league deal. It’s a low-risk, upside move for a club that’s quietly reshaping its relief corps after a run of injuries and departures, hoping Snider can rediscover the form that made him a key piece in Seattle’s pen not so long ago.

Collin Snider’s Road to Wrigley

Snider’s not exactly a mystery arm. The 30-year-old has already logged parts of four big league seasons split between the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners.

The Cubs see enough of a track record to justify a flyer. What he hasn’t found yet is real, lasting consistency at the highest level.

A Solid but Uneven Major League Resume

Over 122 2/3 innings in the majors, Snider owns a 4.48 ERA with a 19.5% strikeout rate and an 8.8% walk rate. He looks like a middle reliever who can handle big league lineups but hasn’t broken out as a shutdown option.

His time with the Royals in 2022–23 was more serviceable than spectacular. He showed flashes of swing-and-miss stuff and could work multiple innings, but inconsistency kept him from locking down a permanent high-leverage role.

The Breakout in Seattle

Snider’s turning point came with the 2024 Mariners. In 41 2/3 innings, he posted a sharp 1.94 ERA and tightened up both his strikeout and walk rates.

He showed better command, a more effective fastball-slider combo, and improved sequencing. For stretches, he looked like a late-inning weapon, and that’s the version the Cubs hope to coax back.

Injury, Velocity Loss, and a 2025 Letdown

Optimism in 2024 gave way to frustration in 2025. Snider’s performance dipped, and the reason was both simple and concerning: health.

Flexor Strain Derails Momentum

In 2025, Snider worked 26 1/3 innings for Seattle with a 5.47 ERA. More worrying than the results, though, was the loss of velocity.

A flexor strain in his forearm landed him on the injured list, sapping life from his fastball and undercutting the command gains he’d made the year before. After Seattle designated him for assignment and he cleared waivers, Snider headed to Triple-A Tacoma.

Over 25 2/3 innings in Tacoma, things didn’t get much better—he was hit hard for an 8.06 ERA. He never quite regained his stuff or confidence, which opened the door for his departure from the Mariners and a shot in Chicago.

Why the Cubs Are Taking a Chance

The Cubs’ bullpen has been in flux, not by design but by necessity. Injuries and attrition have forced the front office to get creative, and Snider fits as a rebound candidate with recent success.

A Bullpen Thinned by Losses

Chicago recently parted ways with or lost several arms expected to contribute in 2025, including:

Those exits have left the Cubs searching for both innings and experience. They’ve added veteran relievers Phil Maton and Hoby Milner to support young closer Daniel Palencia, who’s still a central piece of the late-inning picture.

Snider’s Role in a Crowded Competition

Snider’s deal is a classic non-roster invitation with upside. He’ll head into spring training vying for a bullpen spot in what looks like a crowded, competitive relief mix.

The Cubs don’t need him to be their best reliever; they just need him to be closer to his 2024 self than the injured 2025 one. If the flexor strain is really behind him and his velocity returns, Snider brings a few things to the table:

What Success Would Look Like for Chicago

For the Cubs, building sustainable pitching depth matters more than almost anything else. Contending clubs rarely get through a season with the same seven or eight relievers.

They cycle through a dozen or more, sometimes out of necessity, sometimes just chasing a hot hand. Snider fits in as one of those depth plays—an arm who can bounce between Iowa and Chicago or maybe even stick around if everything goes right.

If he rebounds, the Cubs might’ve found an undervalued piece for their bullpen puzzle. If he doesn’t, the cost is so low it’s hardly worth worrying about.

Relief performance is volatile, health is always a question, and every front office has to roll the dice sometimes. Maybe this one pays off quietly, maybe it doesn’t, but that’s just how things go on the North Side.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Cubs, Collin Snider Agree To Minor League Deal