Wieck signed and spent 2014 with the Brooklyn Cyclones, posting a 1–1 record and 1.40 ERA in 16 relief appearances. He started 2015 with the Savannah Sand Gnats.[4]
San Diego Padres
In June, he was acquired by the San Diego Padres as the player to be named later in an earlier trade for Alex Torres.[5] The Padres assigned him to the Class A Fort Wayne TinCaps and later promoted him to the Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm. In 23 total games started between Savannah, Fort Wayne, and Lake Elsinore, he pitched to a 7–11 record, 4.09 ERA, and 1.40 WHIP.
Whereas Wieck had been working as a starter in 2015, starting all 23 games he pitched in and averaging 51⁄3 innings, he began work as a reliever in 2016 and recovered a mid-90s fastball that had lost in the rotation.[6] Wieck pitched 2016 with Lake Elsinore, where he was named an All-Star, and the Double-A San Antonio Missions.[7] In 41 total relief appearances between the two teams, he was 4–1 with a 1.17 ERA along with 93 strikeouts in 61.1 innings. After the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.[8] Wieck began 2017 with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, but after posting a 10.29 ERA in his first seven games, was reassigned to San Antonio, where he finished the season, going 2–1 with a 2.64 ERA in 31 appearances out of the bullpen.[9]
After the 2017 season, the Padres added Wieck to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[10]
Wieck began 2018 with San Antonio, but was promoted to El Paso in late June after putting up a 1.93 ERA with the Missions.[11] He had a 3.44 ERA in El Paso and struck out 34 batters in 181⁄3 innings. Wieck was promoted to the Major Leagues in September 2018.[12] He made it into five games in September, striking out 10 while allowing 1 earned run in 7 innings.
Wieck had cancer surgery in January 2019, but returned to the Major League camp in February and worked towards being at full strength by the end of Spring Training.[13] He was 0–1 in 30 games for San Diego.
Chicago Cubs
Wieck was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 31, 2019, in exchange for Carl Edwards Jr.[14] Wieck finished the 2019 season allowing only 4 earned runs in 10 innings pitched with the Cubs.[15] In 2020 for Chicago, Wieck appeared in only one game, allowing a two-run home run to Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers.[16]
On July 23, 2021, Wieck was placed on the 60-day injured list with an irregular heartbeat. It was announced he would undergo an ablation procedure in an effort to address the issue, similar to another procedure he underwent in February of 2020.[19]
On March 17, 2022, Wieck was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left elbow strain.[20] On July 22, it was announced Wieck had undergone Tommy John surgery, and would miss the remainder of the year. Wieck did not pitch during the regular season.[21] On November 10, Wieck was activated from the 60-day injured list and outrighted off the 40-man roster.[22] He elected free agency the following day.
On January 4, 2023, Wieck re-signed with the Cubs organization on a two-year minor league contract.[23]
Scouting report
Wieck is a left-hander with a fastball, slider, and change-up. He is one of the tallest players in Major League Baseball at 6'9". He averaged 92.8 mph with his fastball in the minors in 2018, which was down from the 95 mph speed he had earlier, but all the pitches play faster because of his height.[24]
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