South Korean pitcher Lim Chang-yong, who signed with the Chicago Cubs last winter, has joined the big league club’s Double-A affiliate in Tennessee, the minor league team announced.

The Tennessee Smokies said they have added the 37-year-old right-hander to their pitching staff.

On Thursday, Lim made a scoreless debut for the Smokies. He gave up a hit and struck out two batters in one scoreless inning in relief against the Huntsville Stars, an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Smokies are based in the Southern League, one of three Double-A circuits in the U.S. minor leagues. Lim has left the Cubs’ Advanced Class-A Team, the Daytona Cubs, and has taken another step toward Major League Baseball.

Lim has gone from the Rookie League, the lowest level in minor league ball, to Double-A, the second-highest level and one notch below Triple-A, in just a month. Rehabbing from a major elbow surgery from last year, Lim made his first Rookie League appearance on June 24 and went to the Daytona Cubs on July 13.

With the Daytona Cubs, Lim made four appearances, giving up one earned run in five innings. (Yonhap News)