Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 8-5-25

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (Central Time):

Iowa at St. Paul, 7:07 pm
Knoxville vs. Biloxi, 6:00 pm
South Bend vs. Ft. Wayne, 6:05 pm
Myrtle Beach vs. Fredericksburg, 6:05 pm
DSL Cubs Blue at DSL Rojos, 10:00 am
DSL Cubs Red vs. DSL Brewers Gold, 10:00 am

Probable Starters:

Iowa: RHP Chris Kachmar
Knoxville: RHP Tyler Schlaffer
South Bend: RHP Connor Schultz
Myrtle Beach: RHP Ronny López

[Cubs420psd]

So what's the Jaxson Wiggins plan exactly?

 

I've heard of shutting guys down towards the end of the year (Strasburg) but I I don't think I've ever heard of shutting a guy down in the middle of the year for damn near 2 months with a non-injury and then just bringing them back to finish the year out..

I don't really get it.

Edited August 5, 2025 by Cubs420psd

[mul21]

19 minutes ago, Cubs420psd said:

So what's the Jaxson Wiggins plan exactly?

 

I've heard of shutting guys down towards the end of the year (Strasburg) but I I don't think I've ever heard of shutting a guy down in the middle of the year for damn near 2 months with a non-injury and then just bringing them back to finish the year out..

I don't really get it.

He pitched 66 inning at Arkansas in 2022, missed 2023 with TJS, 59 last year and is at 62 this year.  It's load management and just because we haven't seen it done this way before doesn't mean it's wrong.  I'd suspect he's been throwing on the side to work on specific things in a controlled environment (i.e. short bursts of pitches to not stress his arm too much) and we'll see him throw some more game innings before the end of the year to get the IP count up a little more and allow him to be a more full time pitcher next year.

[Cubs420psd]

14 minutes ago, mul21 said:

He pitched 66 inning at Arkansas in 2022, missed 2023 with TJS, 59 last year and is at 62 this year.  It's load management and just because we haven't seen it done this way before doesn't mean it's wrong.  I'd suspect he's been throwing on the side to work on specific things in a controlled environment (i.e. short bursts of pitches to not stress his arm too much) and we'll see him throw some more game innings before the end of the year to get the IP count up a little more and allow him to be a more full time pitcher next year.

Yikes.

 

Didn't realize his arm was that fragile.

 

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1 hour ago, Cubs420psd said:

Yikes.

 

Didn't realize his arm was that fragile.

 

 

Is it that fragile?

He started 15 games as a sophomore in 2022 (17 games total). The most starts any Arkansas pitcher got that years was Connor Noland's 19 (Hagen Smith got 15 just like Wiggins) so he missed ~2 starts. He only racked up 66 innings in those 17 games but that was probably because he wasn't that good (6.55 ERA).

Had TJS in February 2023. Started the 2024 pro season late as he was still rehabbing but pitched the rest of the season.

It was one injury and before that, he wasn't getting as many innings because he wasn't pitching well as a freshman and sophomore in college.

** All of this assumes he hasn't succumbed to another injury.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Part of me wonders if they're saving the rest of his innings for the Cubs pen in Sept.

[muntjack]

That was a thought i had, as well

[Rcal10]

3 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

Yikes.

 

Didn't realize his arm was that fragile.

 

 

Well after TJS he probably didn’t come back until mid season. Then this year they are monitoring his innings. Nothing unusual or to suggest he has a fragile arm. Normal way of pitching a guy after TJS, especially one who hasn’t thrown 150 innings ever before. 

[bddavidson]

Thinking about going to next Tuesday's ICubs game at home.  Would be my first time.  For those who've been, any recommendations around parking/logistics etc...?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]