Hoby Milner
#41 RP · Cubs
Height
6'3"
Weight
187 lbs
Age
35
College
Texas
Draft
2012, Rd 7, #248
Experience
9 yrs
Bats/Throws
L/L
B+
A-
D+
N/A
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The Verdict on Hoby, in One Read
On the field, Hoby Milner grades out as an excellent RP for Cubs (A- Performance). That places him 86th of 389 graded relief pitchers. The contract is harder to defend: the Contract Value Index calls it good value (B+), with the cost outrunning the output. The public read is negative (D+ Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsA-
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 396 | 3.8501804 | 14-9 | 335 | 1.2238266 | 0.0 | 2 |
| 2026 | | 29 | 4.18 | 1-0 | 14 | 1.11 | 28.0 | 1 |
| 2025 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$3.8M
Guaranteed
$2.3M
AAV
$3.8M/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Contract Value Index (CVI)
B+
Good Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Payroll math on Hoby Milner's contract works out to a B+ Contract Value Index given term, opt-outs, and aging curve. At $3.75M on a one-year deal, Milner lands squarely in the reliable-depth-arm zone — a positioning that reflects both his actual on-field utility and the Cubs' deliberate strategy to rebuild their bullpen without overcommitting to aging relief talent. The Cubs have been aggressive in adding arms, and Milner fits that construct as a proven situational piece who can eat innings in high-leverage left-on-left matchups without demanding multi-year security or bloated AAV. At 35 and operating as an established veteran, Milner has zero downside risk attached to this deal — it's a short-term, low-commitment evaluation that the organization can walk away from cleanly, which is precisely the right template for a reliever at this stage of his career. The one-year structure also insulates the Cubs' future payroll flexibility, a smart move for a team actively reshaping its relief corps. Media and fan perception frames him as a dependable depth piece rather than a cornerstone arm, which is accurate to his ceiling and fair value given the $3.75M outlay — this is a grade that matches expectation to dollar, with no hidden leverage or upside mirage baked in.
Performance Analysis
A-
FCA+
Tape review and advanced metrics converge on an A- performance grade for Hoby Milner. At 35 years old, Milner has defied typical aging curves for relief pitchers, delivering elite-tier effectiveness as a specialized left-handed arm in a crowded Cubs bullpen—a remarkable validation of the franchise's confidence in retaining him on a modest $3.75M one-year deal. His 2026 season numbers (1W, 14 K across 29 games) underscore his primary strength: strike-throwing precision and the ability to neutralize high-leverage left-on-left matchups without surrendering momentum, as evidenced by recent game logs showing clean situational work with runners in scoring position. The trade-off of his role is inherent to the specialist profile—limited win-loss recording opportunities and a narrow scope of deployment—but that constraint is a feature, not a flaw, for a late-inning operator tasked with specific platoon assignments. What makes Milner's grade particularly noteworthy is the gap between his on-field output and his public profile: while media coverage frames him as dependable depth within a broader bullpen reconstruction, his actual performance places him among the more impactful arms the Cubs have assembled in their recent flurry of relief signings. For a veteran in what is clearly the twilight of a 10-year career, he is maximizing value in a defined role and delivering tangible wins in the stretch run—exactly what a contending team paying him at this stage expects.
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Hoby's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Hoby Compares at the Position
Hoby Milner ranks 86th of 389 graded relief pitchers by performance. That slots Hoby between Keegan Thompson (A-) just ahead and Brycen Mautz (B+) just behind.
Graded higher
Keegan ThompsonRockiesA-Pete FairbanksMarlinsA-Josh EknessMarlinsA-Hoby MilnerA-
Graded lower
Brycen MautzCardinalsRecent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 6/11 | @ COL | W 9-3 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Fri, 6/5 | vs SF | L 3-18 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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About this player
Hoby Milner is a veteran in his 9th MLB season listed at RP for the Cubs. FanVerdicts covers every MLB player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Hoby Milner, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index B+, Performance A-, Sentiment D+.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when MLB game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.
