Dontrelle Willis Signs With Cubs

Enigmatic left-hander Dontrelle Willis has signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Willis, who’ll turn 31 next weekend, will participate in the team’s minor league Spring Training in a few weeks, but could “get a look” in their Major League camp if he’s throwing well early on.

Dontrelle Willis was once one of the game’s up and coming young stars, but things quickly took a different course. (Image Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

Willis had a rough time in 2012 – both on the field and off.

He signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last December that could have been worth $1 Million, only to be given his release before the end of Spring Training. A few days later he’d sign a deal with the Baltimore Orioles, with whom he’d begin the season in the minor leagues. Willis made just four total appearances with the team’s Triple-A affiliate, including one start, totaling 6.1 innings and the results were dreadful: 0-3 record, 8.53 ERA, 2.211 WHIP.

He and the team also had their differences off the field. Willis wasn’t happy with how things had been going early on and felt as though the team had misled him regarding the role he’d play. Thinking he’d been granted his release in late April, he left the team entirely and headed home. GM Dan Duquette hadn’t approved the move, so the team placed Willis on the restricted list. He came close to filing a grievance with the player’s union in early May, but ultimately elected not to. He’d return to the team after about a 30 day absence before ultimately retiring unceremoniously on July 2nd.

Willis had first burst onto the scene during the 2003 season, going 14-6 with a 3.30 ERA en route to the NL Rookie of the Year Award. He’d proceed to win 54 more games over the next four seasons before being included in a (surprise!) Marlins-blockbuster trade in December 2007, sending him along with Miguel Cabrera to the Detroit Tigers for six players (none of whom are still with the organization). In the four following seasons with Detroit, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Cincinnati Reds he went a combined 4-15 with a 6.15 ERA.

The Cubs were the team to originally draft Willis, in the 8th Round of the 2000 Draft, but dealt him to the Marlins less than two years later.