Minor League Weekend Recap: Caissie Goes Deep, Wiggins & Gallagher Battle For Strikeout Crown

[Billy Reich]

Image courtesy of Jaxon Wiggins

Pitching continues to shine for the affiliates, with starter and relief arms coming in clutch across the board over the weekend. Top starting pitching arms have emerged this season, and the bullpen carousel in Iowa continues to showcase the system's depth and talent in arms.

Cubs Affiliate Overview (June 7 – June 😎

• Triple-A Iowa Cubs
  Series at Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals): Cubs win series 5-2
  Season Record: 33-28

• Double-A Tennessee Smokies
  Series vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds): Smokies lose series 2-4
  Season Record: 26-30

• High-A South Bend Cubs
  Series vs. Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers): Cubs split series 3–3
  Season Record: 17-40

• Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
  Series at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): Pelicans drop series 2-4
  Season Record: 20-35

Triple-A Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 33-28
Series Opponent: Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals)
Series Standing: Win 5-2

June 7: The Cubs fought back from an early deficit on Sunday, but they weren’t able to do enough as they dropped the penultimate game of the series to the Chasers 6-5. The Cubs looked good at the plate, notching eight hits, a double, and a home run. 

After going down 6-0 in the fifth inning, the team rallied late with a Chase Strumpf RBI groundout in the sixth, a two-RBI single by Ben Cowles in the seventh, and a two-run homer by first baseman Carlos Perez in the eighth to bring the game within one.

In the top of the ninth, they had the go ahead run on first base with two outs when Moises Ballesteros was caught looking to end the game.

Starter Peter Solomon had a rough day on the mound, pitching just 3 ⅓ innings and giving up eight hits, six earned runs, two walks, and two strikeouts. Solomon is now 0-2 on the season with a ballooned ERA of 7.50. The 28-year-old righty has now given up three or more runs in four innings or less in his last three starts.

Relievers Tom Cosgrove, Phil Bickford, and Riley Martin combined for 4 ⅔ innings of no run ball and added eight strikeouts, it just wasn’t enough to secure the team win.

June 8: The Cubs won the series finale on Sunday 7-3 with a bullpen game, stellar defensive plays, and some hot bats.

The team jumped out to an early lead with back to back homers in the first inning to put the team up 3-0. Owen Caissie (8) crushed a two run homer - driving in Christian Franklin - and Carlos Perez (11) added one of his own.

Perez played his most recent major league appearance with the Oakland Athletics in 2023. A non-roster invitee this spring, Perez was an emergency depth signing for the Cubs after they struggled to provide serviceable backup production at the major league level last season. While Kelly, Amaya, and McGuire are providing solid production at Wrigley Field this year, it’s nice to know the team has a veteran presence in the upper level of the minors who can provide a hot bat if needed. Perez has hit 11 home runs and produced a 1.000 OPS in just 37 games so far.

Christian Franklin had himself a game at the leadoff position today, going 2-for-4 with a spectacular play in center field, keeping an extra base hit off the boards in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Triple-A relievers continue to be an elite squad for the Cubs this season with some really talented arms notching more scoreless innings. Nate Pearson and Luke Little continue to shine in particular. Pearson collected his second hold today, going two innings of no run ball. Since May 1st, Pearson has made 12 appearances, throwing 16 ⅓ innings, and giving up just two runs to go along with 19 strikeouts. He’s still walking too many batters, but he continues to display his high ceiling and elite stuff.

Luke Little has been even better. Including Sunday, he has made 16 relief appearances in Iowa. Through those 16 games, he’s thrown 23 ⅓ innings, and only given up five runs. Good enough for a 1.54 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. The Major League bullpen has been an elite unit for the past month and a half, but I’d be surprised if Little wasn’t the first call up out of Iowa whenever the next injury arises.

Double-A Tennessee Smokies

Season Record: 26-30
Series Opponent: Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds)
Series Standing: Series loss 2-4

June 7: The Smokies split a double header against the Lookouts, taking a loss in game one 3-0 and picking up a win in game two 4-3.

GAME ONE
The Smokies bats were almost completely silent in game one, racking up just three hits and six strikeouts in the shut out. All three hits were singles and the team went a dreadful 0-1 with runners in scoring position. They didn’t walk once.

Pitching was a little better as starter Nick Dean tossed five innings, giving up just three runs and picking up six strikeouts. This was Dean’s second start since his promotion from South Bend, and he’s looked the part so far - totaling 11 innings pitched and just three earned runs in Double-A so far. Despite the solid outing, Dean was in line for the loss today and sits just 1-4 on the year.

GAME TWO
The Smokies bats picked things up in game two, putting up four runs in the fifth inning and managing to hold off the Lookouts to pick up a 4-3 win.

Rising star Pedro Ramirez stole the show today, hitting a three run blast in the bottom of the fifth to put the team up 4-0. Just his second home run of the year, Ramirez hopes to tap into more of his power that’s been slowly dwindling as he rises up the ranks in the minors.

On the pitching side, Sam Armstrong picked up his first win of the season, going 5 ⅓ innings pitched with four strikeouts and three earned runs. A.J. Puckett came in to relieve Armstrong and impressed by going 1 ⅔ allowing no runs and picking up his 10th save.

June 8: The Smokies dropped the series finale to the Lookouts 3-2 in extras on Sunday. Bats were quiet on both sides today with each team's pitching turning up the heat.

The Smokies got on the board early with a Parker Chavers RBI fielders choice in the first inning. Things remained quiet until the fifth, where Eriandys Ramon would hit his first home run of the season to put the team up 2-0.

Things were all downhill from there, with reliever Cayne Ueckert blowing the save by allowing a two run home run in the eighth inning. Mitchell Tyranski would come in to try and hold the game in the tenth, and despite not giving up a single hit, a walk and a sac fly was enough for the Lookouts to take the 3-2 lead.

The star of the game today goes to Jaxon Wiggins. I’ve been waiting for a double header to push Wiggins to a weekend start so I could get a chance to cover him in action. Wiggins pitched five innings on no run ball, allowing only four hits and striking out an impressive eight batters. He continues his meteoric rise as one of (if not the) best pitching prospect in the Cubs’ system not named Cade Horton. After todays impressive start, Wiggins now sits at a 1.95 ERA with 61 strikeouts in just 50 ⅔ innings pitched.

High-A South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 17-40
Series Opponent: Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Series Standing: Cubs split series 3-3

June 7: The Cubs drop both games of a double header to the Loons by identical scores of 1-2.

GAME ONE
The first game was a completion of the suspended game on Friday. The Cubs went quiet, collecting just three hits on the day. First baseman Carter Trice scored the team's only run via long ball with a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning.

Starter Erian Rodriguez advanced to 0-2 on the season after giving up two runs in four and ⅓ innings pitched today. It wasn’t a bad start for Rodriguez, but it’s hard to avoid the loss as a starter when your team only plates one run.

Cubs relievers looked good today, combining for 4 ⅔ innings of no run ball.

GAME TWO
Game two went the same as game one with the Cubs falling 1-2 and being held to another three hit game. The lone run came off the bat of first baseman Brian Kalmer with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

Cubs starter Ryan Gallagher continues his rocket ascent to the moon, striking out another seven batters in five innings of work today. Gallagher picked up the loss, but he allowed only two runs on three hits and gave up just one walk in the contest. Similar to Rodriguez yesterday, it’s hard to grab the win when your team scores once. 

Gallagher was once again displaying his filthy stuff. This is his fifth consecutive start where he’s pitched at least five innings, struck out at least seven batters, and walked two or less. An insanely impressive season from the righty in his first season of pro ball. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cubs get aggressive with his promotions next year. He’s a strikeout machine that limits walks, somewhat of a unicorn in today's game in the minors.

June 8: The Cubs win the last game of the series against the Loons in spectacular fashion 11-2.

The bats sprung to life, capitalizing on the teams 13 walks to have five different players notch one or more RBIs. The team spread the love today with seven individual players gathering a hit. 

Andy Garriola took home the MVP today on offense by blasting his team leading eighth home run of the season in the sixth inning.

Starting pitcher Kenten Egbert tossed a stellar outing today, putting up his best start of the season. Egbert advances to 2-6 on the season after going five and ⅔ shutout innings, allowing just three hits and one walk.

Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 20-35
Series Opponent: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox)
Series Standing: Pelicans drop series 2-4

May 24: The Pelicans were shut out by the Cannon Ballers 4-0 on Saturday.

Starter Jostin Florentino made his debut with the Pelicans and picked up his first loss of the season after pitching 4 ⅔ innings and giving two runs on six hits and four walks. Reliever Dominic Hambley came in and impressed, adding another three innings of shutout ball.

Hambley has looked great this season. The 22 year old righty has made 10 appearances so far this year, and he’s only let up a run in one of those. Since giving up three runs on May 1st, he’s gone 12 ⅔ innings, giving up zero runs and striking out 14. He’s also walked 12, but he’s been limiting damage with high strikeout stuff. If he can hone in on his command, he has the makings to be an above average reliever as he ascends up the affiliates.

Cameron Sisneros continues to shine on offense, going 2-for-4, the Pelicans only multi-hit performance of the day.

June 1: The Pelicans lose the series finale in a 5-4 walk off heartbreaker on Sunday.

Starter Hayden Frank put up one of his better performances of the year, pitching five innings and giving up just two runs thanks to a bases loaded walk in the fourth and a solo home run in the fifth. 

The Pelicans got out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning thanks to a Leonel Espinoza RBI double and a Cameron Sisneros RBI Single.

The Cannon Ballers tied the game up in the fifth, but an RBI single from Jose Escobar and a wild pitch scored two more for the Pelicans in the sixth.

With a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th inning, reliever Brayden Spears put a man on first and second with just one out. Jackson Kirkpatrick came in to try and get out of the jam, but ended up grabbing his third blown save of the season - giving up an RBI single to tie the game and then a wild pitch to let in the game winning run.

Cameron Sisneros takes home the offensive MVP again today. He went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and a stolen base. 

Sisneros played in just 13 games last season at Myrtle Beach and put up underwhelming numbers after being taken in the 14th round of the MLB draft. This season he’s been quietly breaking out. In 32 games so far for the Pelicans, he’s slashing .357 / .455 / .482, good for a .937 OPS. He’s picked up eight doubles and two home runs as well, but most importantly, he’s only struck out twelve times in 112 at bats. All eyes will be on Sisneros as he continues to be breakout candidate for an otherwise underperforming Pelicans team.

Notable Promotions / Injury Notes

• LHP Burl Carraway assigned to ACL Cubs from South Bend Cubs

• RHP Jostin Florentino assigned to Myrtle Beach Pelicans from ACL Cubs

• Myrtle Beach Pelicans placed RHP JP Wheat on 7-day IL

• Myrtle Beach Pelicans released RF Anderson Suriel

• Iowa Cubs activated RHP Frankie Scalzo Jr.

• Iowa Cubs placed RHP Gavin Hollowell on the 7-day IL

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System Standouts of the Week

Hitter:
Cameron Sisneros (Low-A Myrtle Beach) – 5-for-8 with an RBI over the weekend.

Pitcher:
Jaxon Wiggins (Double-A Knoxville) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 8 K. Wiggins continues to make strides amongst the Cubs top organizational pitching prospects

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