AAA

Indianapolis 13, Iowa 1

Game Recap

Indianapolis has really been hammering the I-Cubs staff the last couple of days. They hit 6 homers on Friday, and another 5 last night. The Iowa offense meanwhile, only scored when the game was out of hand on Friday, and barely at all last night.

Top Performers

• Abiatal Avelino: 2-4 (.279)
• Zach Davis: 1-3, R, BB (.167)

AA

Tennessee 5, Montgomery 2 (8 Innings)

Game Recap

This game was tied 1-1 heading into the 8th (the game was scheduled for 7 innings). Javier Assad turned in one of his best performances of the year, and he was followed by Bryan Hudson, who kept the Biscuits in check in the 7th, and then allowed only the inherited runner to score in the bottom of the 8th (both runs allowed by Tennessee were unearned).

A head’s up baserunning play by Jared Young allowed the Smokies to tie the game in the 7th to send it to extras.

Young then singled home the game winning runs in the 8th. A Nelson Velazquez RBI triple provided insurance.

Top Performers

• Javier Assad: 6 IP, 2 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 4 K (4.43)
• Bryan Hudson: 2 IP, 2 H, R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (W, 5-2, 3.35)
• Jared Young: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI (.312)
• Nelson Velazquez: 1-4, 3B, RBI (.267)
• Christopher Morel: 1-3, RBI (.202)
• Chase Strumpf: 1-3, BB (.186)
• Tyler Payne: 1-3, E (.223)

High-A

South Bend 8, Peoria 3 (completion of SUSP game)

South Bend 10, Peoria 6 (Game 2)

Game Recap

South Bend broke out the big bats for these two games. Bryce Windham reached base 6 times. Light hitting Harrison Wenson, along with power hitters Bryce Ball and Alexander Canario each doubled and homered. Josue Huma homered and reached three times.

The homers by Ball and Canario were massive blasts:

Top Performers

• Harrison Wenson: 2-3, 2B, HR (1), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB (.149)
• Bryce Windham: 4-6, 2B, 3B, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB (.264)
• Josue Huma: 2-3, HR (2), R, 2 RBI, BB (.242)
• Bryce Ball: 2-7, 2B, HR (2), 3 R, RBI, 2 BB (.190)
• Dean Navarez: 3-4, 3 R, 3 RBI (.276)
• Jake Slaughter: 4-8, 2 R, RBI (.275)
• Alexander Canario: 2-9, 2B, HR (1), R, RBI (.320)
• Yonathan Perlaza: 0-3, R, 2 BB (.250)
• Joe Nahas: 5.2 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 K (4.28)
• Eduarniel Nunez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (6.33)
• Scott Kobos: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (W, 1-0, 0.93)
• Chris Clarke: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, BB, 7 K (4.15)
• Dalton Stambaugh: 3.1 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (W, 2-0, 4.20)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Yonathan Perlaza (.250/.332/.429, 107 wRC+) saw his 13-game hitting streak snapped, but with a pair of walks, extended his on base streak to 14.

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 10, Columbia 8

Game Recap

D.J. Herz struck out eight batters through four no-hit innings to open the game. They got to him in the 5th, as his pitch count crept into the 70s, but there is no doubting his dominant stuff plays in short bursts. Herz will need to improve his command and control and stamina if he hopes to remain a starter long term. He is a good athlete, but his delivery is very high effort, so repeating it and conserving energy may prove difficult. We are still very early in the lefty’s career, so there is no need to be overly concerned about it at this point. For now, he can continue to grip-it-and-rip-it.

On the opposite side, Jordan Nwogu (.236/.345/.417, 110 wRC+) also featured some complicated mechanics that were difficult to maintain and repeat, but he’s managed to tone all of the down, and it is leading to great success. Three more hits upped his slash line over his last 41 games to .289/.392/.526 (148 wRC+) and his last 22 games to .346/.446/.603 (181 wRC+).

Top Performers

• Pablo Aliendo: 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, HBP (.266)
• Jordan Nwogu: 3-6, R, RBI (.236)
• Jacob Wetzel: 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB (.227)
• Yohendrick Pinango: 2-5, R, 3 RBI (.261)
• Luis Verdugo: 2-5, R, 2 RBI (.178)
• Ed Howard: 1-4, R, RBI, BB (.201)
• D.J. Herz: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 8 K (3.78)
• Jarod Wright: 2.2 IP, H, R, BB, 4 K (W, 2-3, 4.28)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

The Pelicans (41-42) have now won 5 straight, all on the road, to bring themselves within a game of .500 on the year.

ACL

Cubs 7, Athletics 6

Top Performers

• Felix Stevens: 2-5, HR (3), 2 R, 3 RBI (.226)
• Reggie Preciado: 2-5, 2B, RBI (.366)
• Kevin Alcantara: 2-5, R (.368)
• Miguel Fabrizio: 1-1, R, 2 BB (.354)
• Yeison Santana: 2-2, 2 RBI (.353)
• Ronnier Quintero: 1-1, R, BB (.182)
• Aramis Ademan: 1-3, BB (.304)
• Luis Angel Rodriguez: 4 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (1.10)
• Dawel Rodriguez: 2.2 IP, H, R, BB, 2 K (2.79)
• Angel Gonzalez-Martinez: 3 IP, H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (W, 2-1, 12.08)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Shortstops Luis Vazquez (1-for-4, RBI) and Aramis Ademan continue their rehab. Ademan has been playing for a while, but took a bit of a break and has yet to complete an entire game since coming back, so I assume he suffered a minor setback and is now starting over again this week. If they stay on track it is possible Vazquez returns to South Bend later this week, and Ademan could be assigned to either South Bend (which would be his 3rd year in High-A) or they could try to push him to Tennessee as the backup to Andy Weber.

And speaking of shortstops, not only did Yeison Santana (.353/.489/.382 in 16 games with ACL Cubs) secure a walk off win for the Cubs yesterday, but he’s actually been hitting well for a while (.435/.552/.478 over his last 9 games). The 20-year old was the lone prospect in the Yu Darvish trade who had actually made his pro debut (spent 2018 in DSL and 2019 hitting .346/.429/.494 in AZL). Santana has very good bat control, and opened this season as the starting 2B beside Ed Howard in Myrtle Beach, but he struggled mightily, often expanding out of the zone and making weak contact (.147/.238/.173 in 20 games). He was eventually replaced by Kevin Made, who takes a similar contact oriented approach, but he has managed to do so more successfully in Low-A.

Sent back to the complex league to get sorted out, Santana appears on the right track, but with Made overtaking him (perhaps for good) there seems to be no room in the Myrtle Beach infield. Even if the Cubs wait to send him back to Low-A to open next season, he wouldn’t be old for the league by any stretch, but with two big prospects a level ahead of him and another (Reggie Preciado) likely occupying the same level there is danger Santana gets squeezed out a bit. Especially if either or both of two other big time infield prospects (Christian Hernandez and James Triantos) prove ready for a full season assignment next spring. Santana will not be forgotten. He is still seen as a legit prospect (there is a lot to like about his hit tool and ability to defend at 2B), but the roster squeeze has already pushed him off SS for the most part, and could factor into the Cubs making him (or one of the others) available in trades this offseason.

RHP Luis Angel Rodriguez is a 21-year old who had successful seasons in the DSL in 2018 (0.73 ERA) and AZL in 2019 (3.61). I haven’t heard a scouting report on him, so I imagine his stuff is not wowing anyone, but he’s off to another good start in Mesa (1.10 ERA, 25 K, just 4 BB in 16.1 IP) so I would imagine there has to be some consideration for trying him out in Myrtle Beach soon.

DSL

Cubs Blue 7, Cubs Red 6

Christian Hernandez hit his first career homer run (and XBH) as he reached 3 times. It’s been kind of a middling start to his career. Hernandez has been reaching base with great frequency (.397 OBP) and is the only player on the Cubs Blue team with a wRC+ above league average (114), but he’d yet to do much damage with the bat up until yesterday. Obviously, nothing to be concerned about, but it will still nice to see him get rolling a bit.

The second biggest IFA signing by the Cubs last year, was power hitting catcher Moises Ballesteros (.327/.507/.408, 174 wRC+), who has gotten off to a great start. He’s not only been the Cubs most patient hitter (23.9 BB% / 14.9 K%), but he is also one of only two regulars with a slugging percentage above .400 (Pedro Ramirez leads at .423). In all, the top three names among the hitters in the Cubs IFA class from last year are looking strong.