Minor League Weekend Recap: Alcantara Stays Hot, Can Jordan Wicks Provide Depth?

Cubs Affiliate Overview (June 28 – June 29)

• Triple-A Iowa Cubs
  Series vs. Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians): Cubs lose series 2-4
  Season Record: 41-39

• Double-A Tennessee Smokies
  Series vs. Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox): Smokies split series 3-3
  Season Record: 35-39

• High-A South Bend Cubs
  Series at Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins): Cubs win series 4-2
  Season Record: 28-47

• Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
  Series at Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): Pelicans win series 4-2
  Season Record: 32-41

Triple-A Iowa Cubs

Season Record: 41-39
Series Opponent: Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians)
Series Standing: Loss 2-4

June 28: The Cubs fell to the Clippers 4-2 on Saturday with a 9th inning rally that came up short. Starter Kenta Maeda took the mound for Iowa and continued to show general improvements compared to the beginning of his Cubs tenure. Maeda went six innings, striking out six, walking two, and allowing three hits - two of which were homers - accumulating three earned runs. It wasn’t his stellar seven-inning shutout last weekend, but a quality start from the veteran righty gave the I-Cubs every chance to win this game. Relievers Luke Little and Gavin Hollowell came in for relief, combining for three innings, four strikeouts, and zero hits. Little continues to shine, allowing just two earned runs and racking up 31 strikeouts since the start of May.

The Cubs' offense out-hit the Clippers 8-3, but weren’t able to put many runs on the board despite three extra-base hits and a home run. Dixon Machado, Moises Ballesteros, and Kevin Alcantara all put up a double today, but Alcantara was the only one to walk away with an RBI thanks to his solo home run in the bottom of the 9th.

Alcantara continues his recent hot streak, going 2-for-4 today and 14 for his last 31. He’s hitting .306/.383/.486 with an .869 OPS in June, tacking on seven doubles and two homers. This marks a significant improvement over his May totals, where he slashed .233 / .327 / .465. The Cubs’ front office will keep a close eye on Alcantara as we near the trade deadline, deliberating whether an upgrade to the bench will come from outside or within the organization. 

June 29: The Cubs topple the Clippers 9-3 thanks to an offensive explosion in the sixth inning. Jordan Wicks took the mound for Iowa today, finally looking ramped back up after returning from injury on June 19th. The promising lefty went five innings today, striking out six batters and allowing just three hits and one run. It’s been a frustrating season for Wicks as he’s battled injuries while trying to recapture some of the success that he’s had in the big leagues across the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The major league coaching staff was hoping that this season would be a platform year for Wicks, but injuries and inconsistencies have derailed yet another season for the former top prospect. Things seem to be trending in the right direction - Wicks has made three starts this month, allowing one or less run in each of them and striking out 16 batters to just two walks. A late season resurgence for Wicks would be a massive boon to the Major League Club as they struggle with injuries to key rotation pitchers and struggle with depth as both Ben Brown and Colin Rea have struggled. Wicks likely doesn’t have a hope of cracking the rotation, but Major League contributions aren’t out of the picture if he can stay healthy while the Cubs push through September and into October later this year.

Things were clicking on offense for the Cubs as well as they put up 12 hits, nine runs, and every player reached base at least once. Kevin Alcantara continued his hot run, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Nothing seems to be able to keep Alcantara down as the Jaguar is feeling himself in June.

Alcantara put on a show today, but it was Christian Franklin who took center stage. Franklin went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, finishing the weekend going 7-for-14 with a home run. Franklin had a rough start to the season, slashing just .203 / .330 / .351 in April. Since then he’s been a star, posting a .914 OPS in May and a .776 OPS in June. This season has been huge for Franklin as his numbers in Double-A last year were decent but uninspiring. He’s show he can continue to grow and perform against tougher competition in Triple-A this year.

Double-A Tennessee Smokies

Season Record: 35-39
Series Opponent: Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox)
Series Standing: Split 3-3

June 28: The Smokies strike down the Barons 5-1 on the back of six shutout innings from starter Chris Kachmar. He let up just three hits in the win, striking out an impressive nine batters and walking just two. Kachmar picked up his third win of the season and sits at a respectable 3-5 with a 4.28 ERA.

Relievers Nick Hull and A.J. Puckett shined today as well, going back to back to combine for three innings of no run ball. Puckett in particular is quietly having himself a nice season. He currently sits with a 1.96 ERA and hasn’t let up a run in his past eight outings.

The offense was hot today as well with seven of nine players in the lineup notching a knock. BJ Murray Jr. continues to show off his game power, putting up an RBI double to tie the game in the third inning.

Murray wasn’t the only one shining today, as the 21 year old firecracker Pedro Ramirez added an RBI knock of his own, making this 12 games in a row with at least one hit for the young infielder. Ramirez has been explosive this season, avoiding slumps every month and continuing to hit and hit for power. June was his best month this season as he slashed .313 / .369 / .545 for a .914 OPS.

June 29: The Smokies threatened in the ninth but ultimately fell to the Barons 2-1. Starter Sam Armstrong picked up the loss and allowed both of the Barons two runs in the finale today. Armstrong has continued to struggle this year - he finished 2024 in Double-A where he posted a 2.70 ERA through 51 innings, but now sits 2-6 with a 4.67 ERA in 71 innings this year. The Smokies relievers locked down the game from there though, with Zac Leigh, Chris Clarke, Sam Thoresen, and Cayne Ueckert combining to go four innings of no run ball. The pitching staff did a good job of limiting damage, but the squad mustered up only two strikeouts compared to four walks on the day.

Things were slow on the offensive side of the ball as the squad struck out 13 times to just seven hits. Two players contributed four of those hits, with Ben Joyce going 2-for-4 and Reivaj Garcia going 2-for-3 with a run. Garcia’s run was from an RBI by Casey Opitz in the bottom of the ninth - the only serious offensive threat of the day. With the winning run at the plate, Felix Stevens would strike out swinging to end the game.

High-A South Bend Cubs

Season Record: 28-47
Series Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels (Minnesota Twins)
Series Standing: Win 4-2

June 28: The Cubs shucked the Kernels today 5-4. It’s the weekend, meaning every Cubs fan should be seated to watch Ryan Gallagher shove. Today Gallagher tied his worst performance of the season, going six innings and allowing four runs, striking out six batters and walking just one. For those following along at home, this is Gallaghers eighth consecutive start where he’s pitched at least five innings and struck out six or more batters. His ERA in June is up to 4.03, but he’s been within ⅓ of an inning pitched for a quality start in three of those outings. Some of this is to be expected - the Midwest League is a notoriously difficult place to hit for prospects in the cold weather months - so as we’re deeper into the hotter months of June, bats start clicking and starters ERAs start to tick up a notch. The good news is that Gallagher continues to command the strike, consistently racking up high strikeout counts and limiting walks - he hasn’t allowed more than two walks in a game since May 3rd.

The team stepped up on offense as well with four of the five runs driven in by Andy Garriola and Cameron Sisneros. Garriola had more volume on the day, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, but it was young phenom Sisneros who added the style. Down 3-4, Sisneros launched his first home run of the season, a two run bomb that sealed the game for the Smokies 5-4.

June 29: The Cubs got popped by the Kernels, dropping the series finale 1-6. Starter Connor Schultz had a short outing, pitching three innings, striking out three and allowing one run on two hits. Evan Taylor came in for long relief and picked up the loss after allowing one run across two innings, but it was Vince Reilly who allowed most of the damage, getting tuned up for three runs in the bottom of the eight.

The Cubs didn’t put up much of a fight offensively, putting just one run on the board. The lone run came off of a fielding error. Center fielder Carter Trice did all of the damage himself - he hit a double, stole third base, and then scored at home off of a throwing error. Unfortunately, the Cubs went quiet on offense for the remainder of the game. The biggest standouts were two walks from Garriola and a double from Christian Hernandez. 

Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Season Record: 32-41
Series Opponent: Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals)
Series Standing: Win 4-2

June 28: The Pelicans were taken down by the Fireflies on Saturday by a score of 3-0. Nazier Mule took the mound to start the game for Myrtle Beach and put up one of his stronger performances of the year, throwing five innings, allowing no earned runs, giving up just three hits and striking out four batters. Mule is one of the prospects in the lower levels of the Cubs’ system that’s just absolutely bursting with high ceiling talent. His season numbers are a little skewed due to a blow up outing right before he hit the IL, but he looked great to start the season and since returning from injury. In the three starts he’s made this month since being activated he’s posted a 0.85 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and just five hits allowed. Mule is young, even for Low-A standards at just 20 years in his second season of pro ball. With all the tools to be successful, the Cubs will hope he can build off of his growth from 2024 and remain healthy for the remainder of the season.

Things were pretty silent offensively for both teams as all three runs from the fireflies came unearned. The highlight of action in this game was a sac fly, a throwing error, and a fielder's choice. The Pelicans put up just five hits on the day with two of them coming from center fielder Alexey Lumpuy. Lumpuy went 2-for-4 with a double on the day.

June 29: The Pelicans bounced back in a big way, dousing the Fireflies 8-7 in the series finale. Hayden Frank started for Myrtle Beach and got lit up in a big way, surrendering five runs, two home runs, six hits, and three walks in just four innings of work. Frank is having a rough start to his professional career - opponents are batting .320 against him and he’s given up more hits than innings pitched. He sits at 2-3 with a 6.88 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. Reliever Cole Reynolds wasn’t much better, allowing another two runs in just two innings of work, but Dominic Hambley came in to stop the bleeding, going two innings without allowing a single hit or base runner - good for his second win of the season. Closer Brayden Spears looked good as well, pitching a shutout ninth and racking up his fourth save of the season.

The offense was rolling today with eight different players logging a hit, and three of them tacking on more than one. DH Owen Ayers went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and Matt Halbach went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI of his own. Jose Escobar led the team in hits, going 3-for-5 and driving in a run as well. It was Ayers who was the hero though, as his RBI triple was the game winner in the top of the eighth. 

Notable Promotions / Injury Notes

• Myrtle Beach Pelicans placed SS Angel Cepeda on the 7-day injured list.

• Iowa Cubs activated RHP Gavin Hollowell from the 7-day injured list.

• Iowa Cubs transferred LHP Brandon Hughes to the Development List.

• Chicago Cubs sent RHP Michael Fulmer outright to Iowa Cubs.

• DSL Cubs Red activated RHP Anderson Rivera from the restricted list.

• DSL Cubs Red activated RHP Yusef Hanania from the restricted list.

Interested in learning more about the Chicago Cubs' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!