Ed Howard (photo by Stephanie Lynn)

AAA

Omaha 8, Iowa 6 (Game 1)

Iowa 8, Omaha 1 (Game 2)

Game Recap

Iowa staged a five run rally in the 5th of Game 1 to tie to score 6-6. The game eventually headed to extras, where Ethan Roberts was unable to keep the Storm Chasers off the board.

Game 2 was all I-Cubs after the 1st inning. Matt Swarmer dominated after giving up a leadoff homer to begin the game. He allowed just four more base runners as he punched out seven over six innings. The Iowa bats came up big too. Three homers and five extra base hits in all led to eight runs.

Top Performers

Trent Giambrone: 2-5, HR (3), 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, SB (4) (.181)Jared Young: 2-4, HR (2), 2 R, 2 RBI (.317)Caleb Knight: 1-3, HR (2), R, 2 RBI (.357)Alfonso Rivas: 3-7, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB (.289)Nick Martini: 3-7, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, HBP (.275)Zach Davis: 1-3, R, HBP, SB (2) (.226)Matt Swarmer: 6 IP, 4 H, R, 0 BB, 7 K (W, 3-6, 5.93)Erich Uelmen: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (6.23)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

It’s been a tough year for utility man Trent Giambrone (.181/.289/.265). He missed the first portion of the season on personal leave from the team, and it has been a struggle at the dish for him ever since his return. He’s been a bit more productive of late however (.238/.360/.524 over his last 7 games), so maybe he’s ready to get on a roll. Giambrone has always been a bit of a streaky hitter. When he’s right though, he can provide a nice mix of power and speed, as he showed last night with a homer and a stolen base.

A guy who hasn’t slowed down at the plate despite some time away due to injury is Jared Young (.324/.386/.518 in 47 games between AA/AAA). Putting his disastrous 2019 season behind him, the 1B/LF/DH is putting the ball in play more often, and most importantly using the whole field. He had gotten very pull happy in 2019, leading to a lot of soft roll-over grounders to the right side. This year, he is more often driving pitches on the outer half toward the LCF gap. Young doesn’t have a classic power profile for his defensive positions, and isn’t better than average anywhere in the field, but his return to a gap-to-gap approach has helped him amass 20 XBHs and a high average, which are the skills that earned him the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year honors in 2018.

Your @EMCInsurance Player of the Game is Jared Young! pic.twitter.com/hmGanwvMVC

August 25, 2021

It will be interesting to see how the Cubs handle the roster situation with Young and Alfonso Rivas (.289/.409/.422). Both are LHBs, both have a similar defensive profile (Rivas is the superior defender at 1B, but Young is probably better in LF). Neither hit as many home runs as you’d like from a first baseman. The most notable difference between the two is Rivas is far more patient at the plate (a very good 14.7 BB% vs 6.7% for Young) and puts the ball in play more (20.4 K% vs 28.9%), while Young is more aggressive at looking for a pitch to drive and doing more with it when he gets it. Rivas is two years younger (24 vs 26). I don’t think there is room on the 40-man for both. I expect Rivas gets the nod, due to his plate discipline and age, but Young is guy who could draw interest as a Rule 5 pick this offseason if he can keep up this offensive production.

Brendon Little tossed another scoreless inning in Game 2. He’s been sitting 94-96 this season. He’s always been able to spin a breaking ball and has improved his slider into an out pitch. The former 1st rounder has to be under serious consideration to be added to the roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft this offseason. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Cubs drop one of their struggling relievers late in the season and then give the young lefty a cup of coffee with the big club in September.

AA

Chattanooga 8, Tennessee 3

Game Recap

It was a rough one for starter Dakota Chalmers. He’s been steadily improving during his time with the Cubs organization, and I still think they could salvage a useful reliever out of the former top prospect, but yesterday was not one he’ll want to dwell on. After his offense spotted him a two run lead in the top of the 1st, he gave up seven runs on seven hits and two homers over just 1.2 innings.

Top Performers

Carlos Sepulveda: 2-3, R, 2 BB (.229)Chase Strumpf: 1-2, 2 RBI, BB (.211)Christopher Morel: 2-4, 2B, R (.204)Delvin Zinn: 1-3, BB (.196)Wyatt Short: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K (5.27)Graham Lawson 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (19.29)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

The red hot Chase Strumpf (.231/.352/.381 overall in 78 games between A+/AA, but .364/.462/.636 over his last 17 games) exited in the middle of the game. He didn’t appear to be injured, but you can’t always tell. Perhaps he got sick. Tennessee has been playing with a short bench and his absence forced LHRP Brandon Hughes (a converted OF) to play LF and take a couple of at bats over the final few innings. It was his first action in the field since 2018 when he batted .237/.303/.307 with Low-A South Bend.

High-A

South Bend SUSP

This game was suspended due to rain, and I’ll give the full review once it gets completed, but in the mean time it is worth posting this:

Another oppo hit for Canario, who has clearly been working on that after an initial all-pull approach when he came over.

Really like the work Paul McAnulty and Eric Patterson have done in South Bend this year with hitters. Plenty of individual development on display. https://t.co/Yvt5vpkQCf

August 25, 2021

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 6, Columbia 1

Game Recap

A two-run homer by Ed Howard helped the Pelicans establish an early lead and then a two-run shot by Jacob Wetzel late helped them put it away. In between Richard Gallardo gave Myrtle Beach four solid innings to open the game, and Dawel Rodriguez provided four shutout innings to close it out and earn his first save with the club.

Ed Howard set the tone for the offense tonight, cranking a 2-run homer in the 2nd.

Crack of the Bat Play of the Game presented by @VinesPlumbingSC pic.twitter.com/BKwPZKVXZT

August 25, 2021

Jacob Wetzel knocking balls over walls. pic.twitter.com/lf25yaMZ0P

August 25, 2021

Top Performers

Richard Gallardo: 4 IP, 5 H, R, 2 BB, 6 K (4.32)Sheldon Reed: IP, H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (W, 1-0, 0.00)Dawel Rodriguez: 4 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (S, 1, 6.48)Jacob Wetzel: 2-4, HR (7), R, 2 RBI (.237)Ed Howard: 1-3. HR (3), R, 2 RBI (.197)Ethan Hearn: 1-3, 2B, R, RBI (.186)Peter Matt: 1-3, R, BB (.091)Kevin Made: 1-4, 2B, R (.268)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Owen Caissie drew a walk and drove a couple of balls deep into the outfield in his Pelicans debut. He played LF, and in my first look at him out there he didn’t look very fluid or coordinated. AZ Phil has mentioned he has his doubts about Caissie as a long term OF, especially as he fills out his frame. I’ve only had this brief glimpse of Caissie in the field, but it wasn’t a great first impression, and gave me no reason to doubt Phil’s assessment. The good news is Caissie projects to be a good enough offensive player to profile at 1B. He’s supposed to have some of the best plate discipline in the system and while he hasn’t grown into his full strength yet and his swing is geared a bit more toward line drives at the moment, Caissie is expected to become a home run threat.

Caissie wasn’t the only outfielder to make his Myrtle Beach debut. Fourth rounder Christian Franklin started in CF. Now, Franklin is a very good defender, and should be able to handle all three spots without issue. He’s got speed and pop, and showed a decent eye in this game as well. Like Caissie, Franklin went 0-for-3 with a walk.

The last of the Cubs 2020 undrafted free agents has debuted in the full season ball. Reliever Sheldon Reed had fired three shutout innings with Mesa to begin his pro career, and then added another in his Pelicans debut. It got him his first career win.

ACL

Cubs 9, Angels 4

Top Performers

Felix Stevens: 3-4, 3B, HR (6), 2 R, 2 RBI (.284)James Triantos: 2-5, 2B, HR (2), R, 2 RBI (.293)Kevin Alcantara: 2-3, 2 R, 2 BB, SB (3) (.327)Rafael Morel: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB (.198)Dauris Valdez: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (W, 1-0, 0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Felix Stevens (.284/.356/.605, 136 wRC+) has hit 5 homers over his last 11 games.

Over his last 5 games, James Triantos (.293/.341/.488, 110 wRC+) has hit .409/.409/.773 (193 wRC+) with 2 doubles and 2 homers.

Hard throwing Dauris Valdez, an acquisition from San Diego this spring (trade for James Norwood), began his rehab assignment with 1.2 scoreless innings and 3 Ks. Capable of hitting triple digits to the big righty has been out since the first week of the season.

DSL

Pirates 5, Cubs Blue 1

Cubs Red 5, Giants 2

Pedro Ramirez (.365/.417/.500, 159 wRC+) went 4-for-4 with a double, triple, and a stolen base. The 17-year old shortstop is the organization’s youngest player and has been the Cubs best producer in the DSL this year.