Jake Washer (photo by Stephanie Lynn)

Robel García and Jake Washer became the 4th and 5th Cubs farmhands of the week to hit 2 home runs in the same game. The previous players to do it were Jared Young, Nelson Velazquez, and Matt Mervis.

Most of the bats in the system have only begun to wake up this week. The pitching has been on point for most of the season. They are the main reason three of the four Cubs affiliates are above .500:

The Cubs have 39 pitchers in the system right now with a K% over 30% (no IP min.). That trio of 24/25 year olds in MB probably needs a better challenge. pic.twitter.com/acvGdMGjff

April 25, 2022

AAA

Iowa 8, Louisville 4

Game Recap

Robel García got off to a hot start in the first series of the year, driving a bunch of balls into the gap and down the line for doubles, but then hit a bit of a cold streak in the series since then. His bat woke back up yesterday afternoon though. He launched a pair of homers to lead the I-Cubs to an 8-4 victory.

Robel Garcia with his 2nd HR of the game. Iowa leads 6-1. pic.twitter.com/dYqRLog3nc

April 24, 2022

Three of the guys who have been getting it done of late (Ildemaro Vargas, Donnie Dewees, and P.J. Higgins) all stayed hot. That trio combined to reach seven times, score four runs, and knock in three from the middle of the Iowa order.

Robert Gsellman seems to be rounding into form and getting stretched out as a starter in Iowa (67 pitches). He’s mostly been used as a long reliever in the Majors, but he has some experience as a swingman and starter. The Cubs are currently struggling to get innings out of their starters in Chicago. Not sure Gsellman would necessarily solve that issue, as he’d most likely be another 4-5 inning guy, but he could at least offer another piggyback option. I don’t know for certain, but given his previous experience I assume Gsellman was granted an opt out of his MiLB deal (maybe in May?) if he isn’t added to the 40-man roster. It’s definitely a situation to monitor.

Top Performers

Robel García: 2-4, 2 HR (1, 2), 2 R, 4 RBI, (.263)Ildemaro Vargas: 2-5, 3B, 2 R, RBI (.293)P.J. Higgins: 2-3, R, RBI, BB (.324)Donnie Dewees: 1-3, R, RBI, BB (.316)Dixon Machado: 1-4, R, BB (.273)Robert Gsellman: 5 IP, 7 H, R, 0 BB, HBP, 3 K (W, 1-0, 0.69)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Ildemaro Vargas has hits in 6 straight games (13-for-28, .464)

PJ Higgins has quietly been one of the best hitters in the system this season. Since starting the season 0-12: pic.twitter.com/RCWfYnJrR3

April 25, 2022

PJ Higgins has quietly been one of the best hitters in the system this season. Since starting the season 0-12: pic.twitter.com/RCWfYnJrR3

April 25, 2022

AA

Rocket City 8, Tennessee 4

Game Recap

Christopher Morel and Chase Strumpf hit two-run homers to give the Smokies a 4-2 lead while Javier Assad worked five strong innings. But Danis Correa gave up three runs in his first appearance of the season. He hit 100 on the gun, and is a definite candidate for a 40-man roster spot this offseason, but at least for one day it wasn’t enough to help him hold the lead.

Top Performers

Javier Assad: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, BB, 6 K (1.72)Christopher Morel: 1-4, HR (3), R, 2 RBI (.245)Chase Strumpf: 1-4, HR (3), R, 2 RBI (.182)Nelson Maldonado: 3-4, R (.436)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Nelson Maldonado is third among all AA hitters in wRC+ (min 40 PAs). pic.twitter.com/P8vmqjybVZ

April 25, 2022

High-A

South Bend 5, Beloit 3

Game Recap

A catcher not known for his bat, Jake Washer became an unlikely member of the Cubs two-homer game club this week. His efforts were perhaps the most impactful though. A solo shot by him in the 3rd gave the Cubs the lead. After Beloit pushed across three runs between the 4th and 5th innings Washer doubled and then scored on a Luis Verdugo single in the bottom of the 5th to bring the Cubs within a run.

Then came the 9th. Still down one, Washer stepped up to the plate with two on and promptly ended the game in dramatic fashion:

We nominate @J_Wash10 as the @Cubs affiliate player of the day! #CubsWin | #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/S5Ia6Awi8o

April 24, 2022

South Bend got four good innings out of Max Bain and Chris Clarke. It was Bain’s first start of the season after starting out behind in ST and taking a while to ramp up his pitch count.

I have said this in the past I will say it again now and I will say it in the future: The best Max Bain is an efficient Max Bain. He is through two today with one strikeout and has only thrown 21 pitches, 12 for strikes including four ground outs to second base. pic.twitter.com/4hZFGO1yeo

April 24, 2022

Top Performers

Jake Washer: 3-4, 2B, 2 HR (1, 2), 3 R, 4 RBI (.333)Luis Verdugo: 2-3, 2B, RBI (.289)Fabian Pertuz: 2-4, 2B, R (.298)Max Bain: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K (3.75)Chris Clarke: 4 IP, 5 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K (4.60)Nicholas Padilla: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K (W, 1-0)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

trends

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 7, Delmarva 4

Game Recap

I really wish I could see more of what is happening with the Pelicans so far this year, but unfortunately the camera situation in their road games and some technical difficulties during their one homestand thus far has left us with little/poor quality video.

The team is currently riding high in 1st place, and getting exciting contributions on a regular basis from a couple of guys who shined again yesterday.

Pete Crow-Armstrong laced another three hits and stole another bag out of the leadoff spot. And Riley Martin continued his run of utter domination through the few couple of weeks. He punched out another seven batters over three shutout innings out of the Pelicans pen.

Riley Martin doing Riley Martin things.@Riley_Martin16 strikes out the side in the fifth, still tied 4-4 heading to the sixth. pic.twitter.com/5fGD8pYbIM

April 24, 2022

Top Performers

Malcolm Quintero: 3-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB, CS(1) (.429)Pete Crow-Armstrong: 3-5, 2B, 2 R, SB (7) (.326)James Triantos: 2-5, R, SB (2) (.222)Juan Mora: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, BB (.300)Luis Devers: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (5.40)Riley Martin: 3 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K (W, 1-0, 0.68)Sheldon Reed: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (S, 2, 0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Riley Martin has been phenomenal: 4 G, 13.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 27 K

Pete Crow-Armstrong has been certifiably ridiculous this season.

.326/.463/.581//1.044
14.8% K, 14.8% BB
7 stolen bases, 1 caught stealing
2 steals of home, 1 inside-the-park HR, 1 outside-the-park HR

April 25, 2022