AAA

Toledo 3, Iowa 0

Top Performers

• Matt Duffy: 2-3, 2B (.308)
• Andrew Romine: 1-3 (.281)
• Adrian Sampson: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K (L, 4-3, 4.98)
• Manuel Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K (0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

The Cubs claimed veteran Minor League 1st baseman Frank Schwindel off waivers from Oakland. The 29-year old has yet to be given much of a chance in the Majors with KC or Oak (.114 AVG in 35 ABs between 2019 and 2021). He’s a contact oriented right handed bat who also has 20 HR pop. Maybe the Cubs see some value in him as a guy who could platoon with Alfonso Rivas in AAA or maybe even the Majors should they pull the trigger on an Anthony Rizzo trade. Neither guy possesses the ideal power profile for first base, but pairing them as a platoon to take full advantage of their contact skills might work, at least as a stopgap.

Matt Duffy and David Bote both started again. They played the majority of the game this time before getting lifted for a pinch hitter late. They both seem to be on track for a return next week.

Flamethrower Manuel Rodriguez has not allowed an earned run since blowing a save on Opening Day. Since then, he’s been lights out: 17.2 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 10 BB, 24 K. His fastball registers in the upper-90s and touches triple digits as it did in the Future’s Game. He pairs it with a power curve. His command still wavers, so I still have concerns if he can be a reliable late inning guy in the Majors, where more of the fastballs that catch middle of the plate could end up in the seats. But Rodriguez has the stuff, and for now he’s been mowing through AAA lineups without needing to stay on the edges.

AA

Tennessee 6, Mississippi 3

Top Performers

• Nelson Maldonado: 2-3, HR (4), R, 3 RBI (.288)
• Levi Jordan: 1-4, HR (3), R, 2 RBI (.264)
• Brennen Davis: 1-4, HR (6), R, RBI (.281)
• Tim Susnara: 2-3, 2B, BB (.393)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

At some point AA pitchers will start to think twice about letting Brennen Davis get his arms extended. The big righty has been wearing out the RCF gap of late, and showing the power to do damage when going that way. He hit an opposite field homer for the second straight day. In 14 games since June 30th, Davis has hit .360/.448/.820 (236 wRC+) with 8 doubles and 5 home runs.

In 14 games since June 30th, Brennen Davis has hit .360/.448/.820 with 8 doubles and 5 home runs. https://t.co/VAbI0Gob6a

— Michael Ernst (@mj_ernst)

July 19, 2021

There are just five hitters at Double-A with a better wRC+ than Brennen Davis’s 151, and all of them are at least a year older than Davis, with hundreds of games more pro experience.

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation)

July 19, 2021

Not only is Nelson Maldonado batting .325/.391/.525 (153 wRC+) over his last 33 games, but he hit a game winning 3-run shot in the 7th to break a 3-3 tie. Maldonado is more of a line drive and gap power hitter, but he’s shown the occasional over the fence pop this season.

FINAL: M-Braves 3, Smokies 6. Nelson Maldonado’s 406 foot home run gave the Smokies the WIN today! #SmokiesBaseball #GoSmokies pic.twitter.com/52Tpud9Odt

— Tennessee Smokies (@smokiesbaseball)

July 18, 2021

The Cubs picked up veteran backstop Tim Susnara midseason from the Indy ball ranks. In his first three pro seasons (2017-2019) he failed to hit much in the lower levels, but so far with Tennessee he’s done nothing but hit. After reaching base three times last night he is now slashing .393/.486/.857. The Smokies haven’t been playing him much (9 games), and I frankly haven’t paid much attention to him during games, but I guess it is possible he unlocked some offensive potential during his time away from organized ball. This is probably just a hot streak, but if he keeps it up I’ll have to dig a little.

High-A

Cedar Rapids 13, South Bend 3

Top Performers

• Nelson Velazquez: 3-4, SB (10) (.284)
• D.J. Artis: 1-4, HR (2), R, RBI (.150)
• Grayson Byrd: 1-4, 2B, R, RBI (.208)
• Bradford Deppermann: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K (4.19)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

D.J. Artis homered for the second time in three days.

It was a really, really rough night for Cubs reliever Tyler Suellentrop. He failed to record an out, while allowing 8 runs (6 earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks. Ouch.

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 5, Columbia 2

Game Recap

recap

Top Performers

• Richard Gallardo: 5 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BB, 4 K (4.70)
• Gabriel Jaramillo: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K (S, 1, 1.64)
• Pablo Aliendo: 2-4, HR (4), 2 R, 2 RBI (.271)
• Jordan Nwogu: 1-2, 2B, R, RBI, BB (.193)
• Kevin Made: 2-3, RBI, SB (2) (.225)
• Ezequiel Pagan: 1-3, RBI, SF (.259)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

The Pelicans fell behind 2-1 heading into the 6th, but a two run shot by Pablo Aliendo (.271/.366/.406) put them ahead for good. Aliendo got off to a hot start in May and June, but cooled off a bit after that. He’s been starting to get dialed back in though. Hopefully he can rediscover the consistency that made him one of the few threats in the Pelicans offense back in May.

Three run jack for my guy Pablo Aliendo pic.twitter.com/FaaDND5J0L

— Todd (@CubsCentral08)

June 20, 2021

It’s been a good week for Jordan Nwogu (.193/.298/.343) at the dish. He seems to be starting to turn the corner over his last 7 games (.368/.429/.632, 183 wRC+ with 2 doubles and homer). He’s still striking out a bit, but his timing has improved and he is making really hard contact when he gets hittable pitches. There may be no one outside of the newly acquired Bryce Ball with more raw power in the system. The ball just jumps off Nwogu’s bat.

Richard Gallardo had his sinker working in this one. The high profile IFA signing from 2019 is stoutly built and shows feel for pitching well beyond his 19 years. His stuff is pretty average though (low-to-mid-90s sinking FB, CV, CH), and I’m not sure how much projection he has remaining given how he’s already filled out his frame. He’ll need to rely on command (which he already does a pretty good job with) and generating ground balls, which he did last night as 6 of the 7 outs he recorded in play were on the ground.