Cubs Den
Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Biagini tosses 6.2 shutout innings; Gushue goes 4-for-4 with a homer; Davis homers; Wicks debuts with scoreless inning; Clarke settling in; Some stellar defensive work
Jordan Wicks (photo by Rikk Carlson)
AAA
Indianapolis 4, Iowa 3 (Game 1)
Iowa 9, Indianapolis 0 (Game 2)
Game Recap
After blowing a two-run lead in the final inning of the opener, wasting another fine performance by Matt Swarmer, the Cubs rebounded in a big way in the night cap. Joe Biagini came one out away from recording the org’s first CG shutout of the season. He ended up punching out 8 over 6.2 innings. Taylor Gushue went 4-for-4 with a double and his 8th homer. Abiatal Avelino also doubled and homered.
Taylor Gushue is your @EMCInsurance Player of the Game, going 4-for-4 today including this two-run shot to get the scoring started. pic.twitter.com/zftWTxTpOZ
Top Performers
Joe Biagini: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 8 K (W, 3-6, 5.03)Matt Swarmer: 5.2 IP, 4 H, R, 3 BB, 6 K (5.10)Taylor Gushue: 4-4, 2B, HR (8), 2 R, 2 RBI (.232)Abiatal Avelino: 2-6, 2B, HR (4), R, 3 RBI, BB (.261)Trayce Thompson: 1-3, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB (.226)Trent Giambrone: 3-6, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB (.184)Ian Miller: 1-3, 2 RBI (.272)Greg Deichmann: 1-3, 2B (.231)Erick Castillo: 1-3, R (.224)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
Matt Swarmer has really turned his season around. Over his last 11 games (7 starts), he’s posted a 2.38 ERA in 53 IP: 40 H, 14 ER, 16 BB, 48 K
AA
Game Recap
Brennen Davis blasted a solo homer and Harrison Wenson drove in a pair to lead Tennessee to the win. Anderson Espinoza battled through five innings in his AA debut. He didn’t command his breaking stuff well, and it led to four walks, but his fastball and changeup were enough to get some big strikeouts when needed, as he allowed just one run. Scott Kobos continues to put up zeroes on the scoreboard. He recorded his first save with the Smokies.
Brennen Davis dinger!
The @Cubs‘ top prospect swats his 12th homer for @smokiesbaseball. pic.twitter.com/iWhvnmyJhn
Top Performers
Brennen Davis: 2-4, HR (12), R, RBI (.268)Harrison Wenson: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB (.500)Christopher Morel: 1-4, 2B, R, BB, SB (15) (.213)Nelson Velazquez, 0-3, R, BB, HBP, 2 SB (3, 4) (.298)Anderson Espinoza: 5 IP, 3 H, R, 4 BB, 6 K (1.80)Graham Lawson: 2 IP, H, 0 R, BB, K (W, 1-1, 14.40)Scott Kobos: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K (S, 1, 0.00)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
Harrison Wenson is absolutely just a catch and throw guy and not an offensive force of any kind (career .193 hitter), but you wouldn’t know that as a Smokies fan. The 26-year old was called up to provide some depth while so many Smokies are on the COVID list, and in two games he now has a single, double, homer, he’s walked twice, scored twice, and driven in four. That’s generally what his output is for a month.
High-A
Game Recap
Jordan Wicks was in command during the short duration of his professional debut. He worked a 1-2-3 inning, striking out the first batter he faced. The Cubs then received an excellent performance by Chris Clarke, who followed with six innings of one-run ball. Unfortunately, that one run was all Lake County needed, as their staff held the South Bend offense to just two hits.
Last night was @jordan_wicks99 professional debut, and the Chicago Cubs first round pick threw a 1-2-3 inning, including his first career strikeout. The start of a great career begins at Four Winds Field!#CubTogether pic.twitter.com/33QsPMOArg
Top Performers
Jordan Wicks: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K (0.00)Chris Clarke: 6 IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 5 K (L, 0-4, 4.30)Gabriel Jaramillo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (0.00)Yohendrick Pinango: 1-3, BB (.298)Yonathan Perlaza: 1-3, 2B (.273)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
I usually don’t show highlights by the other team, but this catch to rob Bryce Ball of a hit was a true beauty:
Bryce Ball: robbed. pic.twitter.com/3PQGjk8EjQ
Not to be outdone in the web gem department, I present Yohendrick Pinango and Luis Vazquez:
HOLY HANNAH THIS CATCH BY YOHENDRICK PINANGO!!!! pic.twitter.com/p34QXTv6I8
Luis Vasquez is just plain sick. pic.twitter.com/9xhyRycXT7
After missing a good chunk of the season, Chris Clarke is starting to find his groove in South Bend. The big righty has a mid-90s fastball and is capable of spinning a good curve and slider. His command and control are usually pretty good too. Health has always been the issue with him. If he can stay on the mound next season he probably opens in AA and works his way up to Iowa at some point. A mid-2023 ETA in the Majors is not out of the question.
Chris Clarke looking nasty. This is his best outing for South Bend; he’s given up one hit over five innings and no runs while striking out for. pic.twitter.com/tzfHhmUfuF
Not only did Jordan Wicks make a scoreless debut yesterday, but Gabriel Jaramillo threw two shutout innings in his first action since being promoted from Myrtle Beach. He’d been working very effectively (4-2, 4 SV, 2.33 ERA) as the Pelicans closer over the last month or so and it seemed like just a matter of time before he was called upon to help out an inconsistent South Bend bullpen. Jaramillo doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he’s got good stuff, and a bit of deception, along with pretty solid command.
The Cubs have released RHP Matteo Bocchi and INF Ryan Reynolds. Bocchi was a righty with a funky arm slot, but not a lot of stuff, but he gave the Cubs organization a ton of valuable innings as a swingman this season while so many of their top starting pitchers missed the year due to injury. Reynolds gave the Pelicans offense a much needed power boost early in the season, but it was clear even last season that the skillset of the son of former Astros hurler Shane Reynolds was short of MLB caliber.
Low-A
Top Performers
Kevin Made: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB (.274)Ed Howard: 1-4, R, SB (6) (.217)Jordan Nwogu: 2-4 (.251)Owen Caissie: 1-4, 2B (.225)Porter Hodge: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (5.25)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
Not much to talk about in terms of game action from this one, but here is a little bit from Owen Caissie, talking about his swing:
Fascinating conversation w/ Owen Caissie in Myrtle Beach about his swing for @WatchMarquee.
Below he talks about how the #Cubs stood him up in his stance to free up his lower half.
Bet on Caissie to make adjustments at higher levels. Stud.
Full vid: https://t.co/73qisSLr13 pic.twitter.com/ZA6QTHVJOI
Walker Powell made his full season debut. An undrafted signing this season, the 6’8″ righty has some raw talent the Cubs will try to mold:
Nice little two seamer from Walker Powell in his Myrtle Beach that results in his first K at low A. You have to remember is 6-foot-8 And that is a vicious plane he is throwing on pic.twitter.com/oe0atGTmWZ
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