Richard Gallardo (Photo by Stephanie Lynn

AAA

Buffalo 5, Iowa 4 (11 Innings)

Game Recap

Caleb Killian‘s struggle with command continued yesterday. It is hard to say what the cause is at this point. I’ve yet to see any velo drop or other signs of injury, although anecdotally a loss of command like this can a precursor. The best hope is that it is simply something mechanical that he is working through. I do think part of the issue is that Killian is trying to expand the use of his full arsenal, and is not comfortable using all of his pitches at this point. He walked five men through the first two innings, including one with the bases loaded. Once he simplified his pitch mix in his third and final inning he looked good, working a 1-2-3 frame.

From there, the bullpen picked up the slack, and it looked up to the task. Brandon Leibrandt fired three shutout innings, and Ben Leeper followed with two more.

Another scoreless inning for Ben Leeper who looked as sharp as he ever has today.

2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K. 22 pitches including 15 for strikes.

July 15, 2022

A Jackson Frazier home run gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead which carried over into the 9th.

Jackson Frazier continues to tear it up. 5th HR this month. pic.twitter.com/s0x7mcqpir

July 15, 2022

But Michael Rucker failed to close it out. Then after tossing a scoreless 10th, Brendon Little allowed two runs in the top of the 11th. Iowa would knock in the inherited runner in the bottom half, and moved the tying run into scoring position, but Levi Jordan grounded out to end it.

Top Performers

Jackson Frazier: 1-4, HR (5), R, RBI, HBP (.245)Dixon Machado: 3-5, 2B, RBI (.308)Levi Jordan: 2-6, 2B, 3B, R, SB (5) (.231)Tyler Payne: 2-4, 2B, R, BB (.345)Zach Davis: 2-4, RBI (.198)Trent Giambrone: 1-4, HBP (.212)Brandon Leibrandt: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (4.55)Ben Leeper: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (4.97)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Robert Gsellman has been granted his release so that he can pursue opportunities overseas.

AA

Tennessee 7, Biloxi 3

Game Recap

Home runs by Chase Strumpf and Alexander Canario in the 4th to wake up what had been a sleepy offensive performance through the first three innings. It gave the Smokies a 2-1 lead and they never looked back.

Canario to CF: pic.twitter.com/qH5eg4HA2Q

July 15, 2022

Luis Vazquez homered in the 5th and the Smokies kept adding on from there. Strumpf and Canario were in the middle of a lot of it, as was Vazquez and Jake Slaughter.

Add a double to Canario’s line tonight. No, I don’t know how he got to that ball. pic.twitter.com/OvG53O3iOB

July 15, 2022

Top Performers

Alexander Canario: 2-3, 2B, HR (14), 2 R, RBI, BB, SB (6) (.236)Chase Strumpf: 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI (.245)Luis Vazquez: 1-3, HR (6), 2 R, RBI, BB (.229)Jake Slaughter: 3-4, R, RBI, SB (15) (.338)Ryan Jensen: 3.2 IP, 6 H, R, BB< 4 K (5.05)Jeremiah Estrada: 2.2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (S, 1, 2.25)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Alexander Canario has taken over the system lead with his 21st HR of the season. It ties the system high set by Trayce Thompson last season. Matt Mervis currently sits in 2nd with 20. Canario is getting more comfortable in AA (obviously) but just as important, I am starting to see him barrel up on pitches that are not grooved fastballs and hanging breaking balls. That is the next step in his development, and if he manages to take it, he’ll go far because his bat speed and power potential are as good as anyone in the system.

Last 15 games for Alexander Canario: pic.twitter.com/dCBr4Uy8JW

July 14, 2022

Jake Slaughter paces the system with his 23 stolen bases, three ahead of Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Slaughter has always been a dirtbag on the bases with sneaky spedd. Trouble was, prior to this year he didn’t hit enough to get on base regularly and show off those skills. https://t.co/5q5NvVcxaO

July 15, 2022

Tennessee’s lineup is about to get yet another power hitter. Also…Yah!:

Some good news for Cubs fans: I’m told Miguel Amaya will be headed to Double-A Tennessee “relatively soon” barring something unforeseen happening.

Amaya has yet to play in an affiliated game in 2022. He’s been getting ABs in Arizona while coming back from Tommy John surgery.

July 14, 2022

High-A

South Bend 5, Peoria 1

Game Recap

I didn’t get a chance to watch any of this one, but South Bend remains the hottest team in the org. They jumped out early with four runs in the top of the 1st on single RBIs by Fabian Pertuz and Luis Verdugo, and then Pablo Aliendo capped off the frame with a two-run single. Pertuz added another run scoring single the next inning, and though the offense did little the rest of the way it was more than enough, because…

D.J. Herz did his thing. As usual. Nobody hits this guy. Just one run on one hit (a homer), and most importantly Herz walked just two batter through five innings. It was one maybe his most efficient outing of the season, needing just 72 pitches. The bullpen continued the domination, allowing just one hit and two more walks over four shutout innings.

Top Performers

D.J. Herz: 5 IP, H, R, 2 BB, 6 K (W, 2-2, 2.26)Michael McAvene: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (2.70)Riley Martin: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (4.71)Fabian Pertuz: 2-4, R, 2 RBI (.241)Pablo Aliendo: 2-4, 2 RBI (.253)Yohendrick Piñango: 2-4, R (.291)

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 11, Fayetteville 4

Game Recap

Oh boy. Richard Gallardo came to play. He’s always intense on the mound, but he was feeling it last night. Consistently working in the mid-90s and pairing it with a solid changeup and a breaking ball that he snapped off with the most consistent break I’ve seen out of him, he was just locked in and the Fayetteville hitters had little chance.

This moment of him walking off the mound after his 13th strikeout is the energy he had all game. https://t.co/dFMczHVSJm pic.twitter.com/HH51Xf6Lq4

July 15, 2022

CHC RHP Richard Gallardo struck out 13 over 6 innings today. FB was mid-90’s. CB was the star of the show today. Showed feel for a decent CH. Also throws a SI and SL. Absolute bulldog mentality on the mound. pic.twitter.com/j1Hp1LQGpt

July 15, 2022

Still just 20 years old, Gallardo is already pretty filled out, and so despite having an advanced feel for pitching and pretty good results, I’ve remained cautious in my optimism for him. In some ways he reminds me a bit of Jen Ho-Tseng (also Javier Assad), another high profile IFA signing who got people excited when he put up good numbers early on because of his advanced command and ability to change speeds against low level competition, but who I always worried would hit his ceiling earlier than most prospects because I failed to see a strikeout pitch against MLB hitters in his arsenal.

I’m starting to think I’ve maybe been a bit too harsh on Gallardo though. He’s already far stronger than Tseng ever was. And given the way velo jumps and changes in pitch profiles can happen thanks to all the latest technology and training, perhaps there is more upside with Gallardo than I previously projected.

There is still plenty of development ahead, but he certainly made a statement last night.

Oh, and the Pelicans offense also posted 11 runs, big shock. They even managed to do it without a home run, and with a James Traintos double as their only extra base hit.

Top Performers

Richard Gallardo: 6 IP, 4 H, R, 0 BB, 13 K (W, 5-6, 3.97)Josue Huma: 2-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB (2) (.287)Jacob Wetzel: 1-3, R, 3 RBI, BB (.202)Matt Warkentin: 2-4, R, 3 RBI (.182)Malcolm Quintero: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB (.243)James Triantos: 2-5, 2B, R (.274)Ezequiel Pagan: 2-5, 2 R, RBI (.298)

ACL

Brewers 3, Cubs 0

DSL

Cubs Blue 8, Cubs Red 7