Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 5-8-25

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (Central Time):

Iowa at Toledo, 5:35 pm
Knoxville at Chattanooga, 6:15 pm
South Bend vs. Fort Wayne, 6:05 pm
Myrtle Beach vs. Delmarva, 5:35 pm
ACL Cubs vs. ACL Rangers, 8:00 pm

Probable Starting Pitchers:

Iowa: RHP Michael Fulmer (4.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 5 K, 3 BB)
Knoxville: RHP Sam Armstrong (25 IP, 4.32 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 21 K, 4 BB)
South Bend: RHP Jaxon Wiggins (19.1 IP, 1.86 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 24 K, 13 BB)
Myrtle Beach: RHP Will Frisch (12.1 IP, 7.30 ERA, 4.78 FIP, 16 K, 14 BB)

[JunkyardWalrus]

C’mon J-Wiggles!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Final line: 

Frisch ended up with 11 whiffs. Best game of his pro career.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Alcántara is 1/1 with a double and 2 walks.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

16 whiffs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Jason Ross]

Wiggins (so far):

6IP, 5 K, 0 BB, 1 ER (70 pitches)

Hes back out for a 7th(!!)

[JunkyardWalrus]

J Wiggles went 7 strong.

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Wiggins (so far):

6IP, 5 K, 0 BB, 1 ER (70 pitches)

Hes back out for a 7th(!!)

Finishes the 7th! Struck out 2 more. Hit 97 and 96.

7IP, 7K, 0BB, 1ER

Announcers thought it was the first SB Cub to go 7 since Brandon Little in 2018.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

20 whiffs for Wiggins. Can’t believe they let him go 7.

 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, CaliforniaRaisin said:

20 whiffs for Wiggins. Can’t believe they let him go 7.

 

He was unreal tonight. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Is he knocking on the door of AA? He’s been dominating the Midwest league.

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Is he knocking on the door of AA? He’s been dominating the Midwest league.

Yes. Probably. 

Id say a non-zero chance he makes it to Chicago-proper this year in a BP role. I would not bet on it, it's more likely not than to happen, but there's a path where injuries + Wiggins being that good that created a situation in which he sees some September innings out of the pen. 

But Id expect him in Knoxville sooner rather than later at this point. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

19 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Is he knocking on the door of AA? He’s been dominating the Midwest league.

If I had to guess, I’d say tonight was his last start with South Bend.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Erian Rodríguez getting the rehab start down in the ACL.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Hot damn he's had a really strong year. 20 whiffs in 7 innings is insane.

[craig]

Wow, the Wiggins stuff is really amazing and fun.  

Will Frisch, that's not on the same plane, obviously.  But that's a cool story in itself.  A guy misses not one, not two, but three years, and all of a sudden he's back in a rotation pitching into the 6th inning?  *IF* he would hypothetically look more consistent and controlled as the season progressed, that would be such a fun comeback story.  

[allen6510w]

12 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Final line: 

Frisch ended up with 11 whiffs. Best game of his pro career.

Arguably the only good game of his career - a long time coming for the 2022 draftee who turns 25 this summer.  The development line for pitchers is nonlinear - right! 

[CubinNY]

13 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

16 whiffs

Promote him. 

[JBears79]

15 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

Yes. Probably. 

Id say a non-zero chance he makes it to Chicago-proper this year in a BP role. I would not bet on it, it's more likely not than to happen, but there's a path where injuries + Wiggins being that good that created a situation in which he sees some September innings out of the pen. 

But Id expect him in Knoxville sooner rather than later at this point. 

I think he's getting promoted ASAP. Let him end his last start at South Bend with a dominant performance and start a new challenge with sky high confidence. 

I can definitely see him being an option in the pen in September.