Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 4-27-25

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (Central Time):

Iowa at Louisville (game one), 12:05 pm
Iowa at Louisville (game two), TBD
Knoxville at Pensacola, 6:05 pm
South Bend vs. Beloit, 3:05 pm
Myrtle Beach vs. Kannapolis, 5:05 pm

Probable Starting Pitchers:

Iowa: TBD
Knoxville: RHP Antonio Santos (3.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 2 K, 2 BB)
South Bend: RHP Kenten Egbert (10.2 IP, 6.75 ERA, 5,31 FIP, 8 K, 1 BB)
Myrtle Beach: RHP Brooks Caple (14 IP, 2.57 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 10 K, 6 BB)

[Bertz]

Matt Shaw with his first dong since getting back to Iowa!

And Moises is hitting .407 at damn near the 100 plate appearance mark of the season.  Feels like even with how much we're talking about him we might not be talking about him enough

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Shaw also has a double today.

[Cubs420psd]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

Matt Shaw with his first dong since getting back to Iowa!

And Moises is hitting .407 at damn near the 100 plate appearance mark of the season.  Feels like even with how much we're talking about him we might not be talking about him enough

Yea it's almost about that time to send Turner packing and get this kid up here.

[Jason Ross]

43 minutes ago, Cubs420psd said:

Yea it's almost about that time to send Turner packing and get this kid up here.

Ballesteros is not really a replacement for Turner for a host of reasons.

1. Ballesteros is left handed. While it's true his splits in the MiLB suggest he should be a capable hitter against LHP, calling him up to be the short-side platoon to go lefty-lefty in most of his PA's is not a particularly great position to put him to succeed.
2. Ballesteros can only play 1b/DH/C. The Cubs catching situation between Amaya and Kelly has been amazing so far and has the ability to continue to be above average. Seiya Suzuki has been amazing, He has the fifth highest wRC+ for DH's. Michael Busch has been really good against RHP and doesn't need to be sat against them. 
3. Offense hasn't been the Cubs issue. Turner hasn't been good, and there's enough there to make you think he might be cooked, but there's no rush on replacing him. They probably should shorten the leash and give him less run until he shows more, though.
4. Ballesteros needs to develop behind the plate. He will do less of that sitting on the bench in Chicago or playing 1b or DH. His catching opportunities in games would be near non-existent right now.

I get the want to see Ballesteros in Chicago, and that his bat looks too advanced for Iowa currently. But the Cubs are in a great situation where offensively, they're not hurting, and can afford to let Mo develop the correct way defensively. If Suzuki needs a true IL stint, if Happ/Tucker/Busch/Amaya/Kelly (any of them) pick up a knock and need an IL stint, then Moises Ballesteros immediately makes sense as the next up. But until then, the Cubs don't need to take away from his defensive development to throw him to the wolves as a L-L platoon-er. 

If Turner is truly cooked, it's not going to be that hard to find a RHH who hits LHP.

[Illiterate Scholar]

I hope Mo continues on with the hilarious slash line and can be the key to acquiring a pitcher who slides into the top half of the rotation. To me, with how advanced he is as a hitter as a 21 year old crushing AAA and a questionable skillset beyond that, he feels like the proverbial "sell high" candidate. Hopefully the Twins and/or Marlins believe he can catch.

Edited April 27, 2025 by Illiterate Scholar

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Eriandys Ramón

[mul21]

17 hours ago, Illiterate Scholar said:

I hope Mo continues on with the hilarious slash line and can be the key to acquiring a pitcher who slides into the top half of the rotation. To me, with how advanced he is as a hitter as a 21 year old crushing AAA and a questionable skillset beyond that, he feels like the proverbial "sell high" candidate. Hopefully the Twins and/or Marlins believe he can catch.

There's no way he would be the guy I'd send in a trade for a pitcher.  The bat is never going to be a question and how many prospects can you say that about?  With PCA here long term, hopefully Tucker getting signed to a deal, and Happ on the way out after 2026, you only need one of Caissie or Alcantara and they should be the ones dangled in trade.  An elite bat hitting like he is in AAA doesn't come around often and I'd hate to lose that with how wide the gap has become between the minors and MLB and guys struggling to figure it out.

[JBears79]

Yeah. Mo Baller is almost off limits for me. The bat is too good imo and can cover any current defensive liablities he creates. He's still incredibly young. 

Keep developing him at catcher until he becomes serviceable and then bring him up. With the way Jed and Carter have talked about him in the past, I suspect they are holding onto him as tightly as possible.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-rally-late-tie-snakes-sloan-park#comments

Quote

SP Edwardo Melendez hurled 3.2 IP of one-hit shutout ball with five strikeouts (four swinging) and combined with three relievers on a two-hitter, Ty Southisene reached base twice on an HBP, stole two bases, and scored two runs (including the tying run), and Jairo Diaz drilled a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the 9th, as the Cubs rallied to tie the Diamondbacks 3-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Cubs LF Cesar Lugo suffered a left leg injury while sliding into 3rd base in the bottom of the 6th, after going 2-2 with two singles, a walk, and a stolen base. (Prior to leaving the game with the leg injury, Lugo had reached base in seven of his last eight plate appearances).  
 

Quote

Prior to the game in the stadium, RHP Kohl Franklin (on AAA Iowa 7-day IL - 2024 elbow surgery rehab) and RHP Landon Ginn (on Myrtle Beach 7-day IL - post-2023 TJS rehab) squared-off in a brief “sim” game on Field # 6. K. Franklin worked two innings (43 pitches - 21 strikes - 11 swing & miss) and allowed no runs and no hits while walking two and striking out five (all five swinging), and Ginn threw one inning (23 pitches - 13 strikes - four swing & miss) and allowed no runs on one hit and one walk, while striking out two (one swinging).    

 

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-rally-late-tie-snakes-sloan-park#comments

 

I've seen enough. I declare Franklin is back as a top-10 system prospect! 

[JBears79]

28 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I've seen enough. I declare Franklin is back as a top-10 system prospect! 

lmfao. That comment is great. 

[Jason Ross]

You all think I'm joking. I'm currently making 10 new alt accounts designed solely to list Franklin as my #4 prospect in the Cubs system to cook the NSBB community fan votes. 

(Okay not really, but I'd really like to see Kohl do well. Even if he just is a 7th inning guy; I've always been a fan and I refuse to give up every semblance of hope)