Cubs' Justin Steele: Opening season at Double-A

The Cubs optioned Steele to Double-A Tennessee on Saturday, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Steele has only made two starts above the High-A level, but the Cubs saw enough potential in the 23-year-old lefty to protect him from the Rule 5 draft this winter. He'll likely stick in the Tennessee rotation for the majority of the season, though a midseason callup to Triple-A Iowa is a possibility if he performs well early on.