Cubs Minor League Weekend Recap: South Bend and Myrtle Beach Surge, Young Pitching Continues to Shine

[Billy Reich]

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Cubs Affiliate Overview (August 16 – August 17)

• Triple-A Iowa Cubs
  Series vs. Worcester Red Sox (Boston Red Sox): Loss 2-4
  Season Record: 58-61

• Double-A Tennessee Smokies
  Series at Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels): Split 3-3
  Season Record: 55-57

• High-A South Bend Cubs
  Series at Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins): Win 5-1
  Season Record: 49-64

• Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
  Series at Columbia Fireflies (Washington Nationals): Win 3-2
  Season Record: 57-53

Triple-A Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 58-61
Series Opponent: Worcester Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)
Series Standing: Split 3-3

August 16: The Iowa Cubs were defeated by the Red Sox 9-5 on Saturday. Connor Noland was given another chance to start and things didn’t go nearly as well for him as they have in relief recently. Noland picked up the loss and went just 3 ⅓ innings while allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks to put the team down early. After falling behind 9-0 in the seventh inning, the Cubs turned on the jets and put up a five spot in the bottom half. Kevin Alcantara (0-for-3) scores on a wild pitch, Nicky Lopez (0-for-3) scores on a sac fly from Hayden Cantrelle, Chase Strumpf (3-for-4) scores on an error, and Moises Ballesteros (1-for-5) brings the Cubs within four thanks to a monster two run blast to left center field.

Carlos Perez would kill the rally with a strikeout and the Cubs would go quiet the rest of the way to drop the game.

August 17: The Cubs stomped down the Red Sox on Sunday to take home a 8-5 victory in the season finale. Starter Chris Kachmar had a bumpy outing, going just 2 ⅔ innings pitched while allowing five runs on six hits and three walks. He managed to strike out four, but ballooned his ERA to 7.11 in the process. The relief arms put on a clinic, with Riley Martin, Caleb Kilian, Tom Cosgrove, and Ethan Roberts combining to throw 6 ⅓ innings of one-hit and no-run ball.

Caleb Knight made his impact felt on offense—he went 2-for-3 with three RBIs thanks to a three-run homer in the bottom of the third inning to bring the Cubs within 1 run. Hayden Cantrelle (2-for-3) put the Cubs in the league and they never looked back after his two run homer (his second of the season) made it 6-5.

Double-A Tennessee Smokies

Season Record: 55-57
Series Opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels)
Series Standing: Win 4-2

August 16: The Smokies took out the Trash (Pandas) with a 5-3 win on Saturday. Tyler Schlaffer dominated in his start today, pitching six innings and allowing zero runs (one unearned). He only allowed four hits and two walks while striking out an impressive nine batters. Schlaffer has flashed elite stuff since his call up to Double-A this season where he’s posted a 2.57 ERA in eight starts and 42 innings of work.

Brett Bateman (3-for-5) contributed most of the team's offense thanks to a solo homer in the first and a two-run single in the ninth to put the game out of reach. 

August 17: The Smokies stepped on the gas and delivered the Trash Pandas to the dump with a 13-5 drubbing on Sunday. Starter Grant Kipp only went three innings and allowed a run on one hit and three walks, but this team put him on their backs with a seven run first inning to take the pressure off of the pitching staff.

BJ Murray Jr. (2-for-4, four RBIs) led the team off with a two-run single in the first and would later follow it up with a two-run homer. Reivaj Garcia (3-for-5) followed up with an RBI single, and Pablio Aliendo would take a HBP to drive in a run and make it 4-0. After Jordan Nwogu (2-for-5, three RBIs) drove in another on a fielder's choice, Brett Bateman (2-for-3, three RBIs) went long with a two-run homer to cap off a remarkable weekend and put up a lopsided 7-0 lead. 

The Smokies continue to display impressive team baseball and small ball antics as they put together an impressive second half.

High-A South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 49-64
Series Opponent: Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins)
Series Standing: Win 4-2

August 16: The Cubs defeated the Sky Carp 5-3 on Saturday despite a rocky start from Evan Aschenbeck who let up three runs in just two innings of work. This is a step back for the 2024 draft pick as he’s been putting together an otherwise steady breakout season.

Kade Snell got the scoring going with a two-run single in the first to put the Cubs up early. The Sky Carp rallied back to go up 3-2, but Christian Hernandez (2-for-4) would plate a run with a single in the fifth.

Drew Bowser (1-for-4) would take the lead with an RBI knock in the sixth, and Edgar Alvarez adds an insurance run in the seventh with a solo home run to right field.

August 17: The Cubs got plucked by the Sky Carp and would drop the series finale 1-0. The offense couldn’t get it done, but Yenrri Rojas continues to string together impressive starts at High-A. He went 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, and an impressive 6 Ks to lower his ERA to 0.82 for South Bend. He’s been a contributor for the team's second half surge as they eye a playoff spot—since being called up, he’s pitched 22 innings and struck out 22 batters while allowing just two runs.

The offense couldn’t get it done as they put up zero runs on just two hits while striking out 11 times. The Cubs will hope to bounce back next game as they are currently tied for 1st place in their division in the second half. A strong finish with a hold on that top slot will bring playoff baseball back to South Bend.

Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 57-53
Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (Washington Nationals)
Series Standing: Split 3-3

August 16: The Pelicans got burnt by the Fireflies on Saturday, falling 2-4. Myrtle Beach only managed to plate two runs in the sixth inning thanks to a two-run shot from Alexey Lumpuy (his ninth of the season).

Ty Southisene added another two hits, but wasn’t able to do any damage. Kane Kepley added another knock, continuing his hot run with a 1.033 OPS after being drafted in the second round of the 2025 draft.

Ethan Flanagan struck out six batters in his five innings of work, but gave up three runs on seven hits. This is back-to-back three-run outings for Flanagan, who has otherwise kept opponents to one run or less in all of his other starts this season. 

August 17: The Pelicans bounce back to extinguish the Fireflies with an 8-5 victory in the series finale. Ronny Lopez pitched a serviceable 4 ⅔ innings of ball, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks. He missed out on the win as Dawson Netz picked it up with 2 ⅓ innings of no run ball in relief.

Matt Halbach (1-for-5, two RBIs) and Eli Lovich (2-for-4, two RBIs) picked up the team with their firepower today. After going quiet yesterday, Lovich puts up an RBI single and plates another with a triple in the fifth.

Christian Olivo puts up a quiet 2-for-3 game at the bottom of the lineup that caps off a monster series for the 21-year-old that earned him Carolina League player of the week honors.

Notable Promotions / Injury Notes

• SS Alexis Hernandez assigned to South Bend Cubs from Myrtle Beach Pelicans

• South Bend Cubs activated RHP Koen Moreno from the 60-day injured list

• Knoxville Smokies activated RHP Nick Hull from the 7-day injured list

• Knoxville Smokies transferred RHP Nick Dean to the Development List

• RHP Zach Pop assigned to Iowa Cubs from ACL Cubs

• Chicago Cubs recalled RHP Gavin Hollowell from Iowa Cubs

• Chicago Cubs optioned RHP Javier Assad to Iowa Cubs

• Chicago Cubs recalled LHP Luke Little from Iowa Cubs

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