Minor League Musings

[Bertz]

9 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

 

[Bertz]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7504201/2026/08/11/cubs-catchers-miguel-amaya-owen-ayers/

Sharma makes it sound like we're probably going to see Ayers as a September callup

[Jason Ross]

48 minutes ago, Bertz said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7504201/2026/08/11/cubs-catchers-miguel-amaya-owen-ayers/

Sharma makes it sound like we're probably going to see Ayers as a September callup

What a wild ride he's been on. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Good. No roster ramifications. Get him some experience in a pennant race.

[craig]

3 hours ago, Bertz said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7504201/2026/08/11/cubs-catchers-miguel-amaya-owen-ayers/

Sharma makes it sound like we're probably going to see Ayers as a September callup

I think that's a **very** bad idea, until/unless there is Kelly/Amaya injury.  There's going to be a lockout next year, perhaps a long, very long, one.  I'd like to see Ayers keep developing.  Keep practicing his defense.  Confirm that he can hit next year against AAA pitching.  

Bringing him up for September, just to watch life in the majors and how professional the big-leaguers are, that will lock him out of the minors next season.  Not worth it.  

I have no argument with bringing him in a non-roster capacity.  Hang out in the clubhouse, watch and hang with Bregman and Hoerner, see how Kelly and Amaya prepare and do their meetings, etc..  But don't put him on active roster that costs him the lockout.  

Edited 11 hours ago by craig

[Bertz]

8 minutes ago, craig said:

There's going to be a lockout next year, perhaps a long, very long, one.

It's exceedingly unlikely that the lockout is all that long and the team shouldn't operate their roster in a way where they're worse off when the far more likely thing happens.

[Rcal10]

32 minutes ago, Bertz said:

It's exceedingly unlikely that the lockout is all that long and the team shouldn't operate their roster in a way where they're worse off when the far more likely thing happens.

I disagree. I wouldn’t put him on the 40 man until they had to. I would rather know he is going to get AB next season, lock out or not. 

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I disagree. I wouldn’t put him on the 40 man until they had to. I would rather know he is going to get AB next season, lock out or not. 

I am....not surprised that this is your take

[Jason Ross]

I understand that there is a possibility that the MLB season simply doesn't happen. It is an outcome that is within possibility. But I also think it's a very unlikely one and if we take a step back we begin to see how much the MLB ownership has a vested interest in making sure that isn't the case. They are a group who has constantly cared about now more than future dollars. Losing a full season, even in the name of a cap is just not how these people operate. 

[Rcal10]

36 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I am....not surprised that this is your take

What is that supposed to mean? I don’t think him getting a few AB in September is worth a roster spot being taken on the 40 man next year. Plus if the lock out last long he loses valuable time next spring. 

Edited 10 hours ago by Rcal10

[CaliforniaRaisin]

53 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I understand that there is a possibility that the MLB season simply doesn't happen. It is an outcome that is within possibility. But I also think it's a very unlikely one and if we take a step back we begin to see how much the MLB ownership has a vested interest in making sure that isn't the case. They are a group who has constantly cared about now more than future dollars. Losing a full season, even in the name of a cap is just not how these people operate. 

Especially with the TV deals up after 2027.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Noah Edders and Anuhar García to South Bend.

[craig]

47 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

What is that supposed to mean? I don’t think him getting a few AB in September is worth a roster spot being taken on the 40 man next year. Plus if the lock out last long he loses valuable time next spring. 

Yeah, lots of space for different opinions.  Mine is that he's not going to gain as much from seven September AB's, as the AB's he'll lose from missing spring training, and from missing whatever portion of April/May/June/July does get lost.  I just figure getting a full minor-league season next year (until such point as a callup makes sense) is more valuable than a handful of September AB's.  

Most of the learning by being up with the big-league team could be learned by being invited up to experience the team life, but without needing to actually be rostered.  

 

[Rcal10]

34 minutes ago, craig said:

Yeah, lots of space for different opinions.  Mine is that he's not going to gain as much from seven September AB's, as the AB's he'll lose from missing spring training, and from missing whatever portion of April/May/June/July does get lost.  I just figure getting a full minor-league season next year (until such point as a callup makes sense) is more valuable than a handful of September AB's.  

Most of the learning by being up with the big-league team could be learned by being invited up to experience the team life, but without needing to actually be rostered.  

 

I’m not surprised that is your opinion. 😅 JK. I agree. 

[Corbi296]

8 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Good. No roster ramifications. Get him some experience in a pennant race.

Plenty of roster ramifications. He would need a 40 man spot at a time when he doesn’t need to be elevated. That will exacerbate the roster crunch at a time when the Cubs will likely need to clear 40 man spots for Brown,, Miller and possibly Steele to come off the 60 Day DL. Also, if he gets elevated to the 40 man roster for a September call up,, Ayers will be ineligible to report next Spring in the likely event of a lockout. I don’t think it’s worth it unless they think he can contribute on the field in the playoffs. That’s unlikely in my view. 

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, Corbi296 said:

Plenty of roster ramifications. He would need a 40 man spot at a time when he doesn’t need to be elevated. That will exacerbate the roster crunch at a time when the Cubs will likely need to clear 40 man spots for Brown,, Miller and possibly Steele to come off the 60 Day DL. Also, if he gets elevated to the 40 man roster for a September call up,, Ayers will be ineligible to report next Spring in the likely event of a lockout. I don’t think it’s worth it unless they think he can contribute on the field in the playoffs. That’s unlikely in my view. 

One thing we have to keep in mind; the Cubs are *very* big on the soft skills. This includes things like letting rookies come up and spend time with players and the club that they plan on being there next year. They have been, at times, more than willing to let a rookie hang out with the club on the bench for a few weeks (much the chagrin of fans). Getting Ayers up in September is likely as much about 2026 as it is about their 2027 plans; getting him to work on the side with pitchers that he will catch. 

It's not the same, but it's been reported that Tatsuya Imai has struggled in Houston, in part, to adjusting to the organization. Maybe that's an Imai thing, but the Cubs have very much valued ensuring their Japanese players come over and get the all-star experience in how they adjust to life in a new part of the world. It very much could also be a Houston thing, too.

It's these soft skills the org believes in. So while there are some roster ramifications if the organization is telling you that they are more interested in getting Ayers here for a month than worrying about a fringe 40-man add...it's probably worth seeing that to them, that month for Ayers is more valuable. And likely signals how they feel about him once again. And considering that the Cubs have done a great job bringing along young players recently, probably worth it to defer to them on this. 

To be fair I didn't expect him to be on the 40-man by September myself a bit ago. Based on how the club acted at the deadline, however and how they treated him in trade talks, this isn't that shocking any more. I'm fairly convinced this organization is very, very high on him. 

[craig]

I appreciate the soft-skills approach, and calling guys up for a while before you're actually going to use them.  Caissie, Alcantara, Triantos, those all seemed appropriate.  I think it's smart, given that we don't use 26th man much anyway.  I just think the balance of values in Ayers case, the developmental costs and the 40-man costs outweigh the gains given the circumstances.  But I'm not the boss, Hoyer and Hawkins will balance their values and make their decision.  

 

[Funky-daddy]

Seems to have hit a little snag the last few days. Will be interesting to see how he adjusts