Brailyn Marquez has seen plenty of challenges in his pitching career with the Cubs. He made his brief MLB debut in 2020 against the White Sox, where he got his first MLB strikeout, but did not pitch in 2020 otherwise due to the canceled minor league season, and in 2021 due to covid and injuries.
He was originally considered one of the Cubs' top prospects, if not no.1, but due to lack of pitching time and Brennen Davis and others quickly becoming more recognized, he no longer holds that No.1 top prospect ranking. That's not to say that he can still be good and back on the top prospects list this coming season, but it's not as much of a guarantee.
With his shoulder injury being a definite concern, Hoyer and others seem to think Marquez's starting roles may be over. Formerly, he was considered to be the future ace of the Cubs' rotation, but at this point, it's hard to see that happening.
Getting back to the everyday pitching role this year will definitely be a challenge, but Hoyer seems confident that Marquez will be able to help the Cubs' pitching staff in 2022. He has mentioned that he wants to use him as a "pitching weapon", and with his upper 90s-100 MPH fastball speed, that will definitely be a help to the Cubs' bullpen.
He will probably get some time with Triple-A before moving to the Cubs' bullpen full-time, and especially so with the MiLB Opening Day likely starting before the MLB Opening Day due to some lockout going on...
At this point, Marquez's future is uncertain, but if the power, strikeouts, and success come together in 2022, he can be considered a vital part of the Cubs' future, be it in the bullpen or eventual starting role.
Take a minute to watch this short video on Marquez's 2019 strikeouts:
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