Seth Stohs

On Wednesday at the annual Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville, the Rule 5 draft will take place. Will the Cubs make a pick, or maybe lose a player? We shall see. However, over the next few days, let’s take a look at some of the Cubs' best Rule 5 picks. Image courtesy of © Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports Background Guillermo "Willie" Hernandez was born and grew up in Puerto Rico. The southpaw signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in September of 1973. A look at his minor-league career reminds us that the game has changed. He spent his first full professional season (1974) as a starting pitcher for Class A Spartanburg. As a 19-year-old, he made 26 starts and completed 13 of those games. He tossed 190 innings and went 11-11 with a 2.75 ERA. In 1975, he split time between Double A and Triple A. He made 24 starts and completed 11 games. He threw 171 innings and went 14-6 with a 3.11 ERA. In 25 games and 23 starts in 1976, he went 8-9 with a 4.53 ERA. The Cubs saw enough in him to select him in the Rule 5 draft and keep him around for a while. What did the Cubs See? It is difficult to know what the Cubs scouts in the mid-70s saw with Willie Hernandez. It certainly isn’t the things that we look for today. Consider this: in his three minor-league seasons, he pitched a total of 496 innings, mostly as a starter. However, he had just 359 strikeouts (6.5 K/9). More to the point, in 215 Triple A innings, he had just 134 strikeouts. That’s just 5.6 K/9. In 1976, four starters combined to make 131 starts. Steve Stone made 15 more starts. Bruce Sutter was a 23-year-old closer, and while Rick Reuschel led the starting staff, his brother Paul Reuschel was the second option out of the bullpen. The Cubs went 75-87 that season. While Hernandez had mostly been a starting pitcher in the Phillies system, the Cubs must have seen a durable left-hander who could eat a lot of innings out of the bullpen. Cubs Tenure The 1977 Cubs went 81-81. Rick Reuschel led the starting staff with 20 wins and a 2.79 ERA. Reuschel, Ray Burris, Bill Bonham, and Mike Krukow combined to make 143 starts. Bruce Sutter was fantastic in the “closer” role. He went 7-3 with 31 saves and a 1.74 ERA. He threw 107 1/3 innings. Paul Reuschel again was an innings-eater in the bullpen. He worked 107 innings over 69 appearances. The 22-year-old Hernandez fit right into the back end of the Cubs bullpen. In fact, he led the Cubs relievers with 110 innings pitched in 67 outings. He went 8-7 with a 3.03 ERA and four saves. He continued to be a key component in the Cubs bullpen, sometimes eating innings, and sometimes filling a role more similar to today’s closer. The Cubs were bad in 1980 and 1981. In 1982, he worked 75 innings in 75 outings. In late May of 1983, Hernandez was traded to the Phillies in exchange for Bill Johnson and Dick Ruthven. In parts of seven seasons with the Cubs, Hernandez worked 465 1/3 innings over 323 outings. He went 26-28 with 20 saves and a 3.81 ERA. He had a strikeout rate of 6.4 K/9 and walked 3.6 per nine innings. Post-Cubs Career After playing for the “Lovable Losers,” Hernandez found himself doing a lot of winning. He worked in 63 games for the 1983 Phillies team, and he pitched four innings over three appearances in the World Series that year. Days before the start of the 1984 season, the Phillies traded Hernandez and Dave Bergman to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Glenn Wilson and John Wockenfuss. Hernandez put up a remarkable 1984 season for the Tigers. He led the league with 80 games pitched and with 68 Games Finished. In an astonishing 140 1/3 innings for Sparky Anderson’s Tigers, he went 9-3 with 32 Saves. He had just a 1.92 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. He was named the American League Cy Young Award-winning, the league’s MVP, and he helped the Tigers to the World Series championship that season. It was his first of three All-Star appearances. In 1985, he worked 106 1/3 innings and went 8-10 with 31 saves. He had a 2.70 ERA and a minuscule 0.90 WHIP. He remained with the Tigers through the 1989 season, gradually pitching less and less… likely in an attempt to keep his arm intact. And hey, in March of 1988, Hernandez poured ice water over Mitch Albom (then a columnist for the Detroit Free Press) as he was interviewing a teammate. Hernandez passed away two weeks ago at his home in Florida at the age of 69. We will be back tomorrow with another one of the Cubs' best Rule 5 picks. View full article

Getting added to the 40-man roster is a big deal for minor-league players. Not only is there a financial bump, but more important, it allows them to be called up to the big leagues at any time. At Monday afternoon's deadline, the Cubs announced that they have added RHPs Michael Arias and Porter Hodge, and LHP Bailey Horn to their big-league roster. Image courtesy of Matt Kartozian (photo of LHP Horn), Chloe Trofatter (photo of RHP Hodge) Last week, the Cubs added smooth-fielding shortstop Luis Vazquez to their 40-man roster, not only keeping him from the Rule 5 draft, but also keeping him from free agency. On Monday afternoon, the Cubs added three pitchers to their 40-man roster as well. 40-man roster spots are critically important to an organization. Obviously to be able to call up a player, he needs to be on the 40-man roster. Adding these players means that they will not be eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Being on the 40-man roster means that another 40-man decision doesn't need to be made to call a player to the big leagues. It isn't an exact science. If it was, then no one would be selected in the Rule 5 draft. The Cubs added three players, but that leaves several other players eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Will they lose any? Let's start with the players that the Cubs added: RHP Michael Arias On Tuesday, Arias will turn 22 years old. Originally, Arias was signed as a shortstop by the Toronto Blue Jays in July of 2018. At the end of May in 2020 (when it was announced that there would be no minor-league season), the Blue Jays released him. In January of 2021, the Cubs signed the shortstop. However, they moved him to the mound that year. As a 19-year-old in the DSL, he went 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA. In 2022, he pitched in eight games in the Arizona Complex League. He went 0-3 with a 4.85 ERA in 13 innings. He had 18 strikeouts, but he also had 16 walks and a couple of hit batters. He had five strikeouts and six walks over four innings for Myrtle Beach late in the season. Arias being added to the 40-man roster is all about projection, all about upside. A look at his 2023 numbers isn't going to inspire. Between Myrtle Beach and South Bend, he went a combined 1-10 with a 4.09 ERA. In 81 1/3 innings, he still walked 51 batters (a huge improvement) but he had 110 strikes. Instead, it is important to see Arias's youth, and his lack of time and experience as a pitcher. He is blessed with a big arm and an upper-90s fastball. However, he's also got a two-seam fastball that dips and dives and is a high quality pitch too. And, the wiry right-hander from the Dominican also has the makings of a sharp slider. He has only been pitching for three years. He has just 121 2/3 total innings worked in those three seasons. He was able to reach 81 1/3 innings this year, which is impressive, and next year maybe he can get to 100-120 innings. Or, his stuff will continue to improve and dominate and the Cubs could use him as a force out of the bullpen by the season's second half. RHP Porter Hodge Hodge really wasn't a huge prospect coming out of high school in Salt Lake City. But the Cubs selected him with their 13th round pick in 2019. He pitched in five games and totaled eight innings that summer. And then like most minor leaguers, he didn't pitch in 2020. He broke out in 2022 when he split the season between both levels of A-ball. At Myrtle Beach, he went 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 17 starts. In 69 innings, he had 90 strikeouts, but 39 walks. He moved up to High-A South Bench for eight more games. He went 3-3 with a 2.01 ERA. In 40 1/3 innings, he had 51 strikeouts to 16 walks. Overall, that's 141 strikeouts in 109 1/3 innings. That brings us to 2023, and despite limited time in the Midwest League, Hodge jumped up to Double-A Tennessee and saw mixed results. Overall, he pitched in 35 games and made 12 starts. In 80 2/3 innings, he had 103 strikeouts but 49 walks. He went 6-7 with a 5.13 ERA. Like Arias, the 22-year-old Hodge has stuff. While Arias is barely 6-0 tall and maybe 160 pounds, Hodge stands 6-4 and weighs in right around 230 pounds. He has been able to get himself into much better shape. He has a fastball in the mid-90s. He also has a really good slider (when it's on) that almost acts more like a slurve. Out of the bullpen, he can be successful with those two pitches, but if there is any hope of him starting, he will have to improve his slow curveball and slow down his changeup. LHP Bailey Horn The White Sox used their fifth round draft pick in 2020 to draft the southpaw from Auburn University. In four starts before Covid ended that season, he went 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA and had 27 strikeouts to just five walks in 17 1/3 innings. He made his pro debut at Low-A Kannapolis. He moved up to High-A Winston-Salem but after just 11 innings there, he was traded from the south side to the North Side at the trade deadline. The Cubs sent reliever Ryan Tepera to the White Sox and got Horn in return. In 2022, he started at South Bend but after five games and ten shutout innings (with 16 strikeouts), but moved up to Double-A Tennessee where he had 58 strikeouts (but 27 walks) in 41 2/3 innings. He pitched in the Arizona Fall League a year ago. He began this season by striking out 19 batters in nine innings (over six games) for Tennessee, but he was quickly promoted to Triple-A Iowa. He worked in 39 games out of the bullpen and went 7-2 with a 4.58 ERA. In 53 innings, he walked 29 but struck out 59 batters. Horn has a low-to-mid 90s fastball that tails in on a left-hander. He has a very good curveball and continues to work on adding a slider as well. With that, he could be very intriguing out of the Cubs bullpen. He does have the ability to miss bats, so if he can throw strikes, he could be a long-term piece. Of course, adding these players to the 40-man roster means that there are a lot of Cubs minor leaguers who remain eligible for the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Look back at @Matt Trueblood's article from yesterday to see which other players he recommended. View full article

Let's use this forum thread for talking about minor league free agents this offseason. We can talk about players lost, players added, and where former Cubs wind up here. As the World Series ended, players meeting the necessary minor-league time requirements became free agents. Here are the list of Cubs minor leaguers that elected free agency. Let's get caught up and then discuss these players and if there are any players you would like to see the Cubs bring back. The Cubs have released: C : Brayan Altuve, Malcom Quintero, Jake Washer, OF: Raino Coran, RHP: Michael McAvene, Jarod Wright, Derek Casey, Tomy Sanchez, Anthony Mendez, Gleiber Morales, LHP: Scott Kobos, Jose Aquino, The following players elected to become free agents: RHP Ben Hecht, Carlos Guzman, Nick Neidert, Nick Burdi, Samuel Reyes, LHP: Jack Patterson, Brailyn Marquez, Yovanny Cruz, Stephen Gonsalves, C : PJ Higgins, IF: Yonathan Perlaza, The Cubs added SS Luis Vazquez to their 40-man roster. The Cubs added infielder Ronnyel Espinoza (18) and assigned him to the DSL.

In the first episode of Cubs Spotlight, I had the opportunity to chat with Cubs outfield prospect Brett Bateman about a ton of topics, from growing up in the game, picking a college, getting drafted and much, much more. Image courtesy of © Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via Imagn Content Services, LLC Brett Bateman grew up in baseball. His father is the head coach at Augsburg University in St. Paul and has been coaching for most of his son's life. "I've always been around the game. I remember as a little kid, going to the Metrodome, being a batboy on the field. Cheering in the stands. Being exposed to the game and its connection to life at a young age. Making a bunch of memories, a bunch of friendships that have lasted with me until today all thanks to the baseball field, for sure." Minnesota may not be the baseball hotbed that Georgia or southern California are, but at Mounds View High School, he got to play against some very talented players. He played against Stillwater High School which included Mets' outfield prospect Drew Gilbert and Cubs' pitching prospect Will Frisch in the state baseball tournament. Max Meyer of the Marlins played in his conference. His own high school class had at least five players play Division I baseball. Did his dad push him to play for him at Division III Augsburg? Not at all, though he did mess with him about it. He had Division I offers to a variety of schools including other Big Ten schools. But he was more than happy to stay near home and play for the Golden Gophers. "It was hard for me to even picture myself any place but there. And the fact that I'm a 10-minute drive from campus." He played a lot as a freshman in 2021 and started most games in 2022 and 2023. His junior season, he hit .355 and got on base 45% of the time. He always played great defense in center field. He spent two summers with Willmar in the Northwoods League. He said, "We had a lot of success. Summer Ball, I always look forward to because it is kind of a reset from college ball." He spent time in the Cape Cod League where he said he learned a ton in the three weeks that he was there before the 2023 draft. It was enough to garner quite a bit of attention from teams and scouts. There were a few teams that he talked to a lot leading up to the draft. The Cubs were not one of those teams who talked to him a lot. "The Cubs, believe it or not, I talked with their area scout once in January or February, and I never talked to him again until he called and told me they drafted me." The Cubs selected Bateman with their eighth-round selection. He started getting calls around the fourth or fifth round. He had a lot of calls asking if he was interested in signing for under slot. He wanted to get something near slot, and the Cubs offered him just shy of slot. Bateman was at his aunt's house. His grandparents, some aunts and uncles, his sister and his parents were all there. You'll definitely want to hear the story of his dad seeing his name on his phone. So, what kind of hitter are the Cubs getting? "Everyone in the lineup has a different job to do, and everyone's job is different based on how they swing and see the ball and stuff like that. Mine is just to get on base. If I think I can have a better-than-40% on-base clip, but I hit zero home runs, I will take that every single day of the year." He continued, "I get on base two out of every five times, I will take that. That is the difference between scoring a run and not scoring a run, especially when you can steal bases." "I'm always trying to get more power. I'm always trying to get stronger. Hitting the ball over the fence? I'm down for it. 1-for-5 with a home run, or 4-for-5 or 3-for-5 with all singles? I'm taking the singles every day. That's how I am. That's how I grew up. I've always been a little bit smaller." There are players who are paid to drive in runs, and there are players paid to score a lot of runs. It's refreshing hearing Brett talk about understanding himself as a player, always looking to improve, but he's got a foundation for success. As you might expect, some of that comes from his father. "My dad has always taught me, you have to have a really good approach, you have to know what you're facing, and you have to be able to scout on your own." In college, he would watch video of the upcoming starter and try to develop a plan. And in pro ball, he will have access to more video and more numbers. It was truly enjoyable chatting with Brett Bateman last weekend. He was kind enough to chat for about an hour, and it was all very good. I could make this article really long. We talked quite a bit about the Cubs' 2023 draft class. They took three high school players and 17 players from colleges all over the country. He knew a couple before the draft, but got to know the other guys, some of which he watched on TV. He talked about what he does outside of baseball, away from the game. He also gave us a quick preview of a novel he is in the process of writing, that I'm pretty sure I will have to watch. He is at development camps in Arizona still. Pete Crow-Armstrong showed up last week and Bateman had a chance to work alongside him. His energy and enthusiasm when talking about the game and his teammates is infectious. So I hope you'll take the time to watch the full video and feel free to discuss. View full article

Brett Bateman was the Cubs 8th-round draft pick in 2023 out of the University of Minnesota. In this first episode of Cubs Spotlight, we get to know the speedy, talented outfielder. He grew up a coach's kid in Minnesota, watching the likes of Denard Span and Ben Revere. He stayed home and had a nice career with the University of Minnesota Gophers. As a junior, he hit .355 and got on base 45% of the time. Learn more his game on the field and some of his interests away from the ballpark. He is in Arizona for development camps and took time to let us get to know him. View full video

Hey @Matt Trueblood, you realize that posting this article publicly means that Smyly will pull a Keuchel and work like 6-7 perfect innings.

Pete Crow-ArmstrongCade HortonBen BrownMatt ShawJordan WicksOwen CaissieKevin AlcantaraJackson FerrisMiguel AmayaMatt MervisJames TriantosBrennan DavisMoises BallesterosBrandon BirdsellAlexander CanarioCristian HernandezJaxon WigginsDaniel PalenciaBJ Murray JrJefferson Rojas

Pete Crow-ArmstrongCade HortonBen BrownMatt ShawJordan WicksOwen CaissieKevin AlcantaraJackson FerrisMiguel AmayaMatt MervisJames TriantosBrennan DavisMoises BallesterosBrandon BirdsellAlexander CanarioCristian HernandezJaxon WigginsDaniel PalenciaBJ Murray JrJefferson Rojas

I've definitely noticed that. The minor league knowledge and interest in the forums is really fun. I've enjoyed it, and there are a lot participating in the prospect rankings. We have found that along with daily how'd-they-do stuff, these generally spur some really fun interaction, questions, comments, etc.

Find out everything that happened in the Chicago Cubs minor-league system on Wednesday, and share your thoughts in the Comments. Fabian Pertuz, Ezequiel Pagan, and Yohendrick Pinango highlighted the hitters. Meanwhile Ben Brown continues his dominance. I thought I would try something new today here at North Side Baseball/Cubs. This is the first Minor League Report here. This daily review of the organization's farm system has been a staple since long before Twins Daily became Twins Daily over 10 years ago. It essentially becomes a one-stop shop for any and all Cubs minor-league information. Below you will find transactions and the scores and notes and highlights and key performers from Wednesday. We will pick a Cubs minor-league hitter and pitcher of the day. And look at the next day's schedule. Check out today's report. Leave some Comments below with your thoughts on this report and if it could be valuable for the readers here, or not. And if so, it would be great to get three or four writers to help write about the minor leaguers. What we would be looking for? Cubs fans who have a passion for minor-league baseball. Let’s get to the report. Please feel free to discuss and ask questions. TRANSACTIONS RHP Kohl Franklin promoted from South Bend to Tennessee. South Bend placed RHP Sam Thoresen on the Injured List. C Miguel Amaya was optioned to Iowa. IOWA CUBS COURIER Iowa 3, Toledo 2 Box Score The Cubs held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. A Jared Young single scored Edwin Rios for a third run, an insurance run that proved important. The Mudhens scored two runs in the top of the ninth, but the Cubs got the win, 3-2. Young went 2-for-4 with the third RBI. Leadoff man Darius Hill had the team’s lone extra-base hit. The 25-year-old left fielder hit his sixth double. Ben Brown made his second Triple-A start. In his first start, he gave up one run over 5 2/3 innings. On this night, he tossed five shutout innings. He gave up two hits, walked three, and struck out 10 batters. In six overall starts this season, Brown is now 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and has 47 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Brendon Little tossed a scoreless sixth inning. Riley Thompson then went 1 2/3 scoreless innings.. He gave up two hits and two walks. Manuel Rodriguez came in with two runners on base but got the final out of the eighth inning. Rodriguez also pitched the ninth and gave up the two runs on one hit and two walks. However, he recorded his fifth save of the season. The Cubs are now 20-12 on the season and 0.5 games ahead of Memphis in the International League West Division. SMOKIES SENTINEL Tennessee 5, Montgomery 2 Box Score On Tuesday night, the Smokies smoked a couple of baseballs, and those two baseballs that went over the outfield wall were the difference in this game. In the third inning, nine-hitter Jordan Nwogu hit a two-run homer to score the first runs of the game. It was the left fielder’s fifth homer of the season. Then in the fifth inning, right fielder Owen Caissie launched his seventh homer with two runners on base to give the Smokies a 5-0 lead. Nwogu and Caissie each had two hits in the game. The rest of the lineup had just three hits and two walks in the game. Pablo Aliendo and Haydn McGeary each hit a double. Porter Hodge started and did well through four scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked on and struck out four batters. Ryan Jensen struck out four batters over two perfect innings out of the bullpen. Carlos Guzman gave up one run on two hits over two innings. Cayne Ueckert gave up a run in the ninth. The Smokies are now 17-12, two-and-a-half games ahead of Rocket City in the Southern League North Division. SOUTH BEND BEACON South Bend 10, Wisconsin 6 Box Score Cade Horton was the 7th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of the University of Oklahoma. He made his pro debut this season in Myrtle Beach. In four starts, he gave up two runs on eight hits, four walks and 21 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings. A 1.26 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP, and the Cubs pushed him up to High-A. On Wednesday, he made his first start. It didn’t exactly go well. He gave up six runs on five hits (3 homers) and three walks in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four batters. Fortunately, the Cubs offense had another big day. They scored 10 runs on 15 hits and two walks. The team scored two runs in the first inning on a Yohendrick Pinango RBI single. He later came around to score on a Wild Pitch. They added four runs in the fourth inning. Christian Franklin had an RBI double and then scored on an error. Ezequiel Pagan drove in two runs with a single. In the seventh inning, Pinango had another RBI single. Franklin drove in two with a double, and Casey Opitz singled in the tenth run. The team’s two-three-four hitters came up big in this game. Pagan went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI. Fabian Pertuz, who played for Team Colombia in the WBC, went 3-for-5 with two doubles. He also stole his ninth base. Pinango went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Franklin was batting seventh, and he hit his first two doubles with the Cubs. Horton came out of the game and was replaced by Brad Deppermann who faced five batters and got four outs, three on strikeouts. Frankie Scalzo improved to 4-0 with two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and had one strikeouts. Joe Nahas finished with three strikeouts over two scoreless, hitless innings. South Bend improved to 17-12, one-and-a-half games behind Beloit. PELICAN PRESS Myrtle Beach 1, Lynchburg 5 Box Score The Pelicans had just three hits in this game, and Reivaj Garcia had two of them. The leadoff man and second baseman is now hitting .309 on the season. Andy Garriola had the other hit, a double, his sixth of the season. Former infielder Michael Arias made his fifth start of the year. He gave up just one run on three hits and two walks in four innings. He had five strikeouts and now has 24 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings. Branden Noriega came on and got two outs but not before he gave up two runs on three walks, a hit batter, and a hit. Jose Romero came in with the bases loaded and got out of the fifth inning without further damage. He went two innings and gave up one run on two walks and two hit batters. He left the game with two on, but Johzan Oquendo got the final out. He worked the final two innings and gave up one run on two hits and two walks. The Pelicans are now 14-14 and tied with Augusta for third place in the Carolina League South Division, three-and-a-half games behind Columbia. CUBS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Ben Brown (Iowa Cubs) - 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K. Hitter of the Day – Fabian Pertuz (South Bend Cubs) - 3-for-5, 2-2B(4), R, SB(9). PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Cubs Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Wednesday. (Today, we will include all of our Top 20 prospects. As we move forward, we would only update those who played on that day.) #1 - OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (Tennessee) - Did Not Play. #2 - RHP Hayden Wesneski (Chicago) - Did Not Pitch. #3 - OF Kevin Alcantara (South Bend) - 1-for-5, R, 3 K. #4 - OF Brennen Davis (Iowa) - 1-for-3, RBI, HBP. #5 - LHP Jordan Wicks (Tennessee) - Did Not Pitch #6 - 1B Matt Mervis (Chicago) - Did Not Play. #7 - RHP Cade Horton (South Bend) - 3 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K. 62 pitches, 38 strikes. #8 - OF Owen Caissie (Tennessee) - 2-for-4, HR(7), R, 3 RBI, K. #9 - RHP Ben Brown (Iowa) - 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K, 83 pitches, 51 strikes. #10 - RHP Daniel Palencia (Tennessee) - Did Not Pitch. #11 - IF Cristian Hernandez (Myrtle Beach) - 0-for-4, 3 K. #12 - OF Alexander Canario (Iowa) - 60-Day IL, broke left ankle, dislocated left shoulder in the DWL. #13 - RHP Porter Hodge (Tennessee) - 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, BB, HBP, 4 K. 75 pitches, 43 strikes. #14 - LHP Jackson Ferris (ACL Cubs) - Did Not Play. #15 - 3B James Triantos (South Bend) - Did Not Play. #16 - RHP Caleb Kilian (Iowa) - Pitches Thursday #17 - C Moises Ballesteros (Myrtle Beach) - 0-for-4. #18 - SS Kevin Made (South Bend) - 1-for-5, R. #19 - C Miguel Amaya (Iowa) - Did Not Play. #20 - RHP Jeremiah Estrada (Iowa) - Did Not Pitch THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AND PITCHING PROBABLES Toledo @ Iowa (12:08 PM CST) - RHP Caleb Kilian (2-0, 4.96 ERA) Montgomery @ Tennessee (6:00 PM CST) - TBD South Bend @ Wisconsin (6:40 PM CST) - RHP Connor Noland (0-1, 3.93 ERA). Lynchburg @ Myrtle Beach (6:05 PM CST) - LHP Marino Santy (1-0, 3.60 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Wednesday’s games! View full article

My biggest take away... 25 years ago!?! How is that possible!? I remember that game, and he was so fun to watch. Threw really hard for the era. And he had an incredible "sweeper" when he was on and healthy!

The Cubs certainly have a handful of very interesting pitching prospects. There are just as many hitters who will play in the big leagues as well. As another week of six-game series is set to begin on Tuesday, let's take a look back at last week to see which minor leaguers have been playing well. Use the COMMENTS to discuss players and learn together about them. The Cubs are sitting in this place, behind the Brewers and the upstart Pittsburgh Pirates, but they have played arguably better than expected. The exciting thing is that there are several players in Iowa ready to help when needed, and there are intriguing hitters and pitchers at every level of the system. There are some immensely talented, high-upside pitching prospects in the organization which obviously bodes well long-term. It was a mixed bag in the Cubs minor leagues last week. As the four full-season affiliates set for their six-game week, let's take a look back and see which prospects are playing well. Some of the names, have shown up both weeks, and it will be fun to see which players show up most often throughout the season. Triple-A Iowa Cubs Last Week: Home vs Omaha, 2-2 (games postponed Saturday and Sunday) Overall: 8-4 Standings: 4th place in the International League What’s Next: Six games at Buffalo (6-8) Top Hitter: 3B Christopher Morel (24) For the second straight week, Christopher Morel is the choice for Iowa’s hitter of the week. He continues to provide power in the middle of the lineup. Should he be up with the Cubs? Probably. However, Patrick Wisdom is also currently producing a ton of power at the hot corner for the Cubs. The Cubs have some long-term commitments in the middle infield. Cody Bellinger is hoping for a comeback player of the year season. So, until a need arises, Morel sits in Des Moines (or wherever the Iowa Cubs are playing) with two choices. Fortunately, he appears to be making good choices and producing monster numbers that a front office can’t ignore. He wasn’t quite as dominant as the previous week, but in six games, he hit .250/.333/.667 (1.000) with a double and three home runs. Honorable Mentions OF Mike Tauchman (32) – 3 G, 3-for-9, .333/.538/.667 (1.205), with a homer and three RBI. He also had four walks. IF Miles Mastrobuoni (27) – 6 G, 5-for-16, .313/.500/.563 (1.063), with two doubles and a triple. He also walked six times and stole a base. OF Nelson Velazquez (24) – 6 G, 6-for-22, .273/.360/.500 (.860), with two doubles and a home run. He had three walks and a stolen base. Top 20 Prospects OF Brennen Davis (23)(#5 Prospect): 6 G, 9-for-24, .375/.400/.542 (.942) with a double, a homer, and three stolen bases. 1B Matt Mervis (25)(#6 Prospect): 6 G, 7-for-25, .280/.308/.560 (.868) with a double, two homers, eight RBI, and a stolen base for good measure. Top Pitcher: RHP Riley Thompson (26) Riley Thompson had a terrific start last week for Iowa. He earned a win, but that doesn’t tell us anything. How about this. He threw five no-hit, shutout innings against the Royals top affiliate. He walked three, but he struck out nine batters in the game. In his three starts so far this season for the Cubs, he is 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA and an impressive 0.77 WHIP. In 13 innings, he has given up five hits and five walks, but he also has 17 strikeouts. Despite undergoing Tommy John surgery just before the draft, Thompson was selected late by the Reds out of high school. He went to Louisville where he was drafted again in 2017 before signing as the 11th round pick of the Cubs in 2018. In 2019 at then-Low-A South Bend, he went 8-6 with a 3.06 ERA in 21 starts. He became one of the better pitching prospects in the organization, but then he didn’t pitch in 2020. And then shoulder soreness caused him to miss the 2021 season too. Last year, he returned to the mound at Double-A Tennessee. He went 2-5 with a 4.42 ERA over 19 starts. He had 64 strikeouts over 57 innings, but he also walked 32 batters. But his stuff was good and encouraging, and if he could gain any semblance of control, he has a chance to be a solid big-league pitcher. Honorable Mention RHP Chris Clarke (25): 1 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K RHP Tyler Duffey (32): 2 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K LHP Roenis Elias (34): 1 GS, 1-0, 2.84 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 1 HBP, 2 BB, 2 K. Other Top 20 Prospects RHP Caleb Kilian (25) (#16 Prospect): 1 GS, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Double-A Tennessee Smokies Last Week: At Montgomery, 2-4 Overall: 4-5 Standings: Tied for 5th place in the Southern League What’s Next: Hosting Chattanooga (6-3) for six games Top Hitter: SS Luis Vazquez (23) In five games this week, Luis Vazquez went 11-for-19 and hit .579/.619/1.105 (1.724) with a double, three homers, and six RBI. The only thing that didn’t really go well for him was on the base paths where he had one steal in four attempts. Vazquez was the Cubs 14th round pick out of high school in Puerto Rico in 2017. He spent the next two seasons mostly in the rookie leagues. In 2019, he played at four different levels including 25 games in Double-A and 11 games at Triple-A. After the lost 2020 season, he played 23 games at South Bend and eight games at Tennessee. He was injured so he was able to get some extra at-bats late in the season Arizona Fall League. Last year in 86 games in Tennessee, he hit .237 with 24 extra base hits. He hit .179 in 27 games in Iowa. In 12 games this year with the Smokies, he is hitting .341/.362/.614 (.975) with three doubles and three home runs. Honorable Mention OF Nelson Maldonado (26): 4 G, 5-for-16, .313/.389/.563 (.952) with a double, homer and two walks. IF BJ Murray (23): 5 G, 5-for-15, .333/.545/.667 (1.212) with two doubles, a homer, and six walks. Top 20 Prospects OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (21)(#1 Prospect): 1 G, 2-for-4, .500/.600/1.250 (1.850) with a homer, a walk, and a stolen base. Unfortunately, he was caught a cold and should be back on the field Tuesday. OF Owen Caissie (20)(#8 prospect): 4 G, 3-for-11, .273/.500/.364 (.864), with a double and five walks. C/1B Miguel Amaya (22)(#19 prospect): 5 G, 5-for-13, .385/.529/1.000 (1.529), with two doubles, two homers, and two walks. Top Pitcher: LHP Jordan Wicks (25)(#5 Prospect) There were several really good choices for pitcher of the week in Tennessee, but the choice here is left-hander Jordan Wicks. He made one start, and he only had one mistake (not literally, but you know what I mean). In five innings, he gave up one run on one hit (a solo homer). He walked one and struck out six batters. Wicks has now made three starts this season. He is 0-0 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. In 11 1/3 innings, he has walked five and struck out 17 batters. Wicks grew up in Arkansas, and after high school, he went to Kansas State. He was a three-year starter for the Wildcats and had a strong showing in the Northwoods League in 2020. When the 2021 draft came, the Cubs were likely thrilled that the southpaw fell to them with the 21st overall pick. He signed quickly, and the Cubs aggressively pushed him to High-A South Bend for four starts at the end of the season. That’s where he began the 2022 season, but after 16 starts, he moved up to the Smokies for eight starts at the end of the season. Combined, he had 28 walks and 121 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings. Honorable Mention RHP Hunter Bigge (25): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K. RHP Walker Powell (27): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K. RHP Cayne Ueckert (27): 2 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Ben Brown (23) (#9 Prospect): 1 GS, 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 9 K. RHP Daniel Palencia (23) (#10 Prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K. RHP Porter Hodge (22) (#13 Prospect): 1 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K. High-A South Bend Cubs Last Week: Home vs Beloit, 3-3 Overall: 6-3 Standings: Tied for 1st place in the Midwest League What’s Next: Six games at Great Lakes (4-5) Top Hitter: SS Kevin Made (20)(#18 Prospect) On July 2, 2019, the Cubs signed Kevin Made from the Dominican Republic for a reported $1.5 million. As you know, there wasn’t a 2020 season, so he didn’t make his professional debut until 2021. The Cubs aggressively pushed him to Myrtle Beach in late May that year and he played 58 games. He began the 2022 season with the Pelicans where he hit .266/.354/.451 (.805) with 14 doubles and nine home runs. More important, he showed the ability to control the strike zone. He was promoted to South Bend where he hit .162 over the final 37 games of the season. That’s where he started this season, and like he did a year ago, he took the lessons from his late-season struggles at the level to make adjustments coming into this season. Last week, he played in five games. He hit .412/.565/.824 (1.389) with two doubles, a triple, and a home run. He walked five times with just four strikeouts. In 12 games this season, he is hitting .300/.440/.500 (.940). Of note, he won’t turn 21 until mid-September. Honorable Mention IF Scott McKeon (25): 4 G, 5-for-14, .357/.438/.714 (1.152) with two doubles, a homer, a walk and a steal. 1B Haydn McGeary (23): 6 G, 8-for-22, .364/.500/.455 (.955) with two doubles and six walks. OF Brad Beesley (25): 6 G, 8-for-24, .333/.429/.625 (1.054) with two doubles, a triple, a homer, and four stolen bases. Top 20 Prospects OF Kevin Alcantara (20) (#3 Prospect): 5 G, 3-for-19, .158/.261/.158 (.419) with three walks. Top Pitcher: RHP Brandon Birdsell (23) Birdsell is no stranger to the MLB draft. Out of high school in Willis, Texas, he was drafted in the 39th round by the Astros. In 2021, after three seasons at Texas Tech, the Twins drafted him in the 11th round, offered him what they could, but he instead went back to Lubbock for his senior season. He went 9-3 with a 2.75 ERA over 15 starts. He had 106 strikeouts in 85 innings of work. The Cubs selected him in the fifth round of last year’s draft. He signed for a little below slot and then did not pitch for the rest of the summer, at least not in a formal game. Last week, Birdsell made his third start of the season (and of his career). He tossed four scoreless innings. He tossed four hitless innings. He walked one and struck out six batters. On the season, he is 0-0 with a 0.84 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. In 10 2/3 innings, he’s been charged with one run on two hits. He has six walks to go with 12 strikeouts. Honorable Mention RHP Brad Deppermann (27): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K. RHP Richard Gallardo (21): 1 GS, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. Top 20 Prospects None Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Last Week: 3-3 at Lynchburg Overall: 4-4 Standings: Tied for 5th place in the Carolina League What’s Next: Six games at home versus Augusta (3-4) Top Hitter: C Moises Ballesteros (19) (#17 Prospect) Ballesteros is a catcher, but he is playing a game a week or so at first base and at DH to keep his bat in the lineup most nights. Last week, he played in four games. He went 5-for-14 and hit .357/.500/.429 (.929) with a double and four walks. He also had a stolen base. In 11 games this year, he is hitting .290/.417/.474 (.890) with a double and two home runs. He also has nine walks to go with seven strikeouts. In January of 2021, the Cubs signed Ballesteros out of Venezuela. He spent that summer in the Dominican Summer League. In 48 games, he hit .266/396/.390 (.785) with 10 doubles and three homers. Last year, he spent two months playing rookie league ball in Arizona. He then finished the season with 31 games in August and September with the Pelicans. Combined, he hit .257/.352/.461 (.813) with 12 doubles and 10 homers. With his youth and his ability to play solid defense behind the plate, he is an extremely exciting prospect. Honorable Mention Felix Stevens (23): 4 G, 3-for-11, .273/.500/.455 (.955), with a triple. He also reached via walk five times. Miguel Pabon (22): 3 G, 3-for-10, .300/.417/.400 (.817) with a double and two walks. Top 20 Prospects OF Cristian Hernandez (19) (#11 Prospect): 5 G, 4-for-17, .235/.316/.353 (.669) with a triple. 3B James Triantos (#15 Prospect): Did Not Play (knee surgery, possible return late May) Top Pitcher: RHP Michael Arias (21) Arias is certainly an interesting prospect. He signed with the Blue Jays back in July 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He signed as a shortstop and yet never played a game in the organization. The Rays released him in May of 2020 as news broke that there would be no minor-league season. In January of 2021, the Cubs signed Arias, but they had a different idea. The Cubs put him on the mound, and from the sounds of it (it, being the wind-like sound of his fastball), he’s sitting in the upper-90s. He pitched in the DSL in 2021. In 2022, but pitched in eight games and 13 innings in Arizona before joining the Pelicans for two games late in the season. Last week, Arias made one start. He tossed four scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked one, and struck out eight batters. In his first appearance of the year, he gave up three runs on three hits and four walks in two innings. No surprise that he would struggle with consistency, but with an arm like his, you take your shot. Honorable Mention LHP Marino Santy (21): 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K. RHP Erian Rodriguez (21): 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K. RHP Angel Gonzalez (20): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 1.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K. RHP Brody McCullough (23): 1 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K. RHP Nick Hull (23): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K. RHP Kevin Valdez (21): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Cade Horton (21): 1 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 BB, 7 K. YOUR TURN… Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Cubs minor league awards: Hitter of the Week Christopher Morel: 6 G, .250/.333/.667 (1.000) with a 2B, 3 HR. Luis Vazquez: 5 G, .579/.619/.1.105 (1.724) with 2B, 3 HR. Kevin Made: 5 G, .412/.565/.824 (1.389) with 2-2B, 3B, HR, Moises Ballesteros: 4 G, .357/.500/.429 (.929) with 2B. Pitcher of the Week RHP Riley Thompson: 1 GS, 5 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 BB, 9 K. LHP Jordan Wicks: 1 GS, 5 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 K. RHP Brandon Birdsell: 1 GS, 4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 6 K. RHP Michael Arias: 1 GS, 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K. Feel free to ask questions and discuss the Cubs’ minor league affiliates and prospects in the COMMENTS below. View full article

As a new week is about to start in minor-league baseball, let's take a look back at the top performers in the Chicago Cubs minor-leagues last week. There are some familiar names, and others, you can jot down and get to know. In the end, you can vote on the Cubs Minor League Hitter of the Week and Pitcher of the Week. There are essentially two purposes of an organization's minor-league system. The first is to develop players that will help at the big-league level. The second would be to trade prospects to gain players to help the big-league club during a winning cycle. Where are the Chicago Cubs right now in that circle of baseball life? Opinions may vary. They certainly went out and spent some money in free agency this past offseason. They have traded veterans for prospects in recent years. And where they are in June and July will determine what they do at the trade deadline. However, the minor-leaguers deserve our attention. They earned the right to be called professional ballplayers. They put in a tremendous amount of work, and while improvements are being made to minor-league pay, there is still a long way to go. So, it is important to recognize those efforts and the successes in the minor leagues. Each week, we will take a look at how the Cubs' affiliates are performing as a team and their upcoming schedule. But our focus will be on the players. For each of the four full-season affiliates whose seasons are just getting started, we will name a Hitter and Pitcher of the Week. At the end, we will let you decide who the Cubs Minor League Hitter and Pitcher of the Month are, so please take some time to read about the prospects and discuss them in the Comments. Let's get started in Iowa. Triple-A Iowa Cubs Last Week: Home vs Omaha, 2-2 (games postponed Saturday and Sunday) Overall: 8-4 Standings: 4th place in the International League What’s Next: Six games at Buffalo (6-8) Top Hitter: Christopher Morel Christopher Morel is off to a fast start in Iowa. In four games this past week, he hit .400/.471/1.133 (1.604) with a single, two doubles, three homers and seven RBI. In 12 total games this season, he is hitting .378/.500/.822 (1.322) with six doubles, a triple, four homers and 14 RBI. Morel signed with the Cubs in August of 2015. However, he didn’t make his professional debut until 2017. He is back in Triple-A to start the 2023 season after jumping to the big leagues directly from Double-A last year. He played 113 games and hit .235/.308/.433 (.741) with 19 doubles, four triples, and 16 home runs. He added 10 stolen bases. He played 57 games in center field, 33 games at second base, 18 games at third base, and 13 games at shortstop. This season, the 23-year-old has six games at third base and two games at all three outfield spots as he awaits an opportunity to return to Chicago. Honorable Mention 1B Matt Mervis (25) (#6 Prospect): 4 G, 6-for-13, .462/.632/.846 (1.478), with two doubles and a homer. He also walked six times. C Dom Nunez (28): 3 G, 4-for-11, .364/.462/.818 (1.280), with two doubles, a homer and seven RBI. SS Sergio Alcantara (26): 4 G, 7-for-18, .389/.389/.667 (1.056), with two doubles and a homer. Top 20 Prospects OF Brennen Davis (#5 Prospect): 3 G, 1-for-12, .083/.143/.083 (.226). OF Alexander Canario (#12 Prospect): Did Not Play (transferred to 60-Day IL (ankle/shoulder)) Top Pitcher: RHP Nick Neidert Nick Neidert has been a bit inconsistent through his first three starts, but he had a solid start last week. He gave up one run on four hits over five innings. He only struck out two batters, but he didn’t walk anyone. The one run allowed came on a solo homer, and Neidert was credited with his first win of the season. Neidert was the 2nd round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2015 out of high school in Georgia. After the 2017 season, he was packaged with two other players and sent to the Marlins for Dee Strange-Gordon. Between 2020 and 2022, he pitched in 13 games (49 innings) for the Marlins. After last season, he became a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the Cubs. In three total starts for Iowa this season, he is 1-1 with a 5.23 ERA and a 2.32 WHIP. In 10 1/3 innings, he walked five and struck out nine batters. He will remain 26 years old throughout the 2023 season. Honorable Mention RHP Cam Sanders (26): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 2 Holds, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Caleb Kilian (25) (#16 Prospect): Did Not Pitch. RHP Jeremiah Estrada (24) (#20 Prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K. Double-A Tennessee Smokies Last Week: At Montgomery, 2-4 Overall: 4-5 Standings: Tied for 5th place in the Southern League What’s Next: Hosting Chattanooga (6-3) for six games Top Hitter: OF Owen Caissie (#8 Prospect) Owen Caissie is off to a fast start despite being just 20 years old and already in Double-A. He played for Team Canada in the WBC and did well. A consensus Top 100 prospect, he played in all six Smokies games last week. He went 7-for-21 and hit .333/.364/1.048 (1.412) with a double, a triple, four home runs, and nine RBI. Much of his damage was done in one game. Of course, he struck out 12 times in 22 plate appearances. In other words, when he puts the ball in play, good things happen. Caissie was the 2nd round pick of the San Diego Padres in the 2020 draft out of Notre Dame High School in Burlington, Ontario. The Cubs acquired him that next winter in the Yu Darvish trade. He is a big, strong dude (6-4, 190 pounds) and tremendous power potential. He won’t turn 21 until July. In nine total Double-A games, he has hit .303/.343/.788 (1.131) with wo doubles, a triple, and four homers. In 35 plate appearances, he has 20 strikeouts and two walks. Honorable Mention C Pablo Aliendo (22): 3 G, 2-for-7, .286/.500/.429 (.929), with a double. He also walked three times in 10 plate appearances. Top 20 Prospects Pete Crow-Armstrong (21) (#1 Prospect): 5 G, 6-for-19, .316/.316/.474 (.790), with a double and triple. C Miguel Amaya (24) (#19 Prospect): 3 G, 2-for-8, .250/.417/.500 (.917) with two doubles and three walks. Top Pitcher: LHP Bailey Horn Bailey Horn pitched in two gams out of the Bullpen. In 3 2/3 innings, he gave up no runs, no hits, he walked one and struck out eight batters. On the season, he has two walks and 10 strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old southpaw was the fifth-round pick of the White Sox in 2020 out of Auburn. At the trade deadline in 2021, he was traded to the North Side in exchange for reliever Ryan Tepera. In 2022, he pitched in five games for South Bend before finishing the season going 1-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 28 games with the Smokies. In his 41 2/3 innings, he struck out 58 batters but walked 27 times. He then pitched in eight more games in the Arizona Fall League. And, you'll want to check out his curveball. Honorable Mention RHP Ben Brown (23) (#9 Prospect): 1 G, 5.0 IP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K. LHP Riley Martin (25): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 1 S, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects LHP Jordan Wicks (25) (#5 Prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 13.50 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H (2 HR), 3 BB, 7 K. RHP Daniel Palencia (23) (#10 Prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K. RHP Porter Hodge (22) (#13 Prospect): 2 G, 0-2, 9.00 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 7.0 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, 5 BB, 7 K. High-A South Bend Cubs Last Week: Home vs Beloit, 3-3 Overall: 6-3 Standings: Tied for 1st place in the Midwest League What’s Next: Six games at Great Lakes (4-5) Top Hitter: 1B Haydn McGeary Haydn McGeary played in all six games for South Bench last week. He went 9-for-25 and hit .360/.429/.720 (1.149) with three doubles, two homers, and nine RBI. He’s primarily playing first base, but in the past, he has spent some time behind the plate. The 23-year-old was the Cubs’ 15th-round draft pick in 2022 after four seasons at Division II Colorado Mesa University. After signing, he played in six games in the Arizona Complex League before finishing the season with a dozen games at Myrtle Beach. In nine total games this season, he is hitting .378/.439/.676 (1.115) with five doubles, two homers and 11 RBI. Honorable Mentions OF D.J. Artis (26): 4 G, 6-for-16, .438/.500/.563 (1.063), with a triple. He had three steals. C/1B Casey Opitz (24): 5 G, 7-for-22, .318/.304/.682 (.986), with three doubles, a triple, a homer, and six RBI. OF Yohendrick Pinango (20): 6 G, 7-for-21, .333/.500/.429 (.929) with two doubles and eight RBI. He also walked seven times. OF Brad Beesley (25): 5 G, 8-for-22, .364/.391/.500 (.891) with three doubles. He stole four bases. Top 20 Prospects OF Kevin Alcantara (20) (#3 Prospect): 5 G, 4-for-21, .190/.292/.476 (.768) with three doubles and a homer. SS Kevin Made (20) (#18 Prospect): 5 G, 4-for-17, .235/.350/.235 (.585) with two walks. Top Pitcher: RHP Kohl Franklin In the early levels of the minor leagues, starters rarely complete five innings, especially this early in the season. In his first start of the season, Kohl Franklin went four scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out seven batters. The 23-year-old was the sixth-round pick of the Cubs in 2018 out of high school in Oklahoma. He went to the same high school (Broken Arrow) as Archie Bradley and Brad Penny. The 23-year-old ended the 2019 season with a start at South Bend. He made 23 starts for South Bend in 2022 and had 75 strikeouts (but 41 walks) in 69 1/3 innings. Honorable Mention RHP Carlos Guzman (25): 2 G, 0-0, 1 Save, 0.00 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K. RHP Connor Noland (23): 2 GS, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 8.0 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 12 K. Top 20 Prospects None Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans Last Week: 3-3 at Lynchburg Overall: 4-4 Standings: Tied for 5th place in the Carolina League What’s Next: Six games at home versus Augusta (3-4) Top Hitter: Cristian Hernandez (19) (#11 Prospect) Cristian Hernandez played in four games last week for Myrtle Beach. He went 6-for-12 and hit .500/.571/.917 (1.488) with a triple and a homer. He also walked twice and stole two bases. The Cubs signed a 17-year-old Hernandez in January of 2021 for a reported $3 million signing bonus. He spent that summer in the Dominican Summer League. Last summer, he played in the Arizona Complex League. The Cubs are challenging him this spring, but through a half-dozen games, he’s off to a good start. Honorable Mentions OF Christian Franklin (23): 6 G, 8-for-25, .320/.393/.640 (1.033), with three doubles, a triple, a homer, and six RBI. He also stole three bases. 1B/OF Felix Stevens (23): 5 G, 5-for-16, .313/.476/.750 (.1.226) with a double, two homers and four RBI. He also walked four times. OF Andy Garriola (23): 5 G, 7-for-18, .389/.389/.722 (1.111) with three doubles and a homer C Miguel Pabon (22): 3 G, 4-for-9, .444/.500/.556 (1.056) with a double and a walk. Top 20 Prospects OF Moises Ballesteros (19) (#17 Prospect): 5 G, 5-for-19, .263/.333/.579 (.912), with two homers and five homers. 3B James Triantos (#15 Prospect): Did Not Play (knee surgery, possible return late May) Top Pitcher: RHP Cade Horton (#7 Prospect) There weren’t a lot of strong performances by pitchers in Myrtle Beach, so the choice here is the Cubs top pick in 2022, righty Cade Horton. The Norman, Oklahoma, native was the seventh-overall pick out of the University of Oklahoma, also in Norman. He made his professional debut last week and went 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked none and struck out five batters. Honorable Mention LHP Marino Santy (21): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects Only Horton YOUR TURN… Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Cubs minor league awards: Hitter of the Week Christopher Morel (Iowa): 4 G, 6-for-15, .400/.471/1.133 (1.604), 2-2B, 3-HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K Owen Caissie (Tennessee): 6 G, 7-for-21, .333/.364/1.048 (1.412), 1-2B, 1-3B, 4-HR, 9 RBI, 1 BB, 12 K Haydn McGeary (South Bend): 6 G, 9-for-25, .360/.429/.720 (1.149), 3-2B, 2-HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Cristian Hernandez (Myrtle Beach): 4 G, 6-for-12, .500/.571/.917 (1.488), 1-3B, 1-HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K Pitcher of the Week Nick Neidert (Iowa): 1 G, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Bailey Horn (Tennessee): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.27 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K Kohl Franklin (South Bend): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 7 K Cade Horton (Myrtle Beach): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K Feel free to ask questions and discuss the Cubs’ minor league affiliates and prospects in the COMMENTS below. 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If the Cubs keep getting starts similar to these first two, they are going to have a chance! I thought Steele was remarkably impressive! Stroman: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K Steele: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Marcus Stroman was strong on the mound on Opening Day. Dansby Swanson came up big with the glove and the bat in his Cubs debut. The Cubs used one big inning and some Brewers misplays to take a 4-0 Opening Day win. Box Score SP: Marcus Stroman: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K (69 pitches, 41 strikes (59.4%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Marcus Stroman (.248), Dansby Swanson (.137), Trey Mancini (.104). Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Stro Starts Strong! Opening Day is a lot of things, but one of those things is it generally pits some aces against one another. That was definitely the case in this game as the Cubs sent Marcus Stroman to the mound to face Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes and the Brewers. In the first inning, he struck out three batters. The second inning went well. He found a way to get out of a rough situation in the third inning (see the next section!), and that really seemed to get him going. Following the Cubs four-run third inning, Stroman did exactly what you would hope he would do. He had a very quick fourth inning, and another in the fifth as well. He went out for the sixth inning and got a groundout and ended with two strikeouts. As he walked off the mound, he implored the crowd, clearly excited about his first start of the season. Stroman had eight strikeouts in the game, but that isn't really his game. His game is getting groundballs, and in this game, he got seven groundball outs and no fly outs. That was vintage Marcus Stroman on Thursday, and the Cubs hope to get that version as often as possible this season. Keystone Combo Comes Up Big in Third Frame In the top of the third inning, Marcus Stroman got into a little trouble. The Brewers loaded the bases with one out. Rowdy Tellez grounded to freshly-paid Nico Hoerner who threw to Dansby Swanson at second who threw to first base for an inning-ending double play. A terrific play kept the Brewers off the scoreboard. With a runner on first, Hoerner came to the plate and lined a single to right field for the Cubs first hit of the season. Miles Mastrobuoni raced from first to third base. Swanson came to first and lined a single to right field to score Mastrobuoni, and a misplay allowed Hoerner to score from first base. The Cubs kept taking advantage. Soon after, Trey Mancini singled to score Swanson. They they got more help when Yan Gomes hit a bounding ball up the middle. Willy Adames fielded it and decided to take the ball to second base himself, but Mancini got there first, allowing the fourth run of the inning to score. Dandy Debut for Dansby Along with the big plays in the third inning, Swanson had a nice day at the plate for the Cubs. He went 3-for-4 with the bat, and he made a couple of really nice plays at shortstop. A few other players made their Cubs' debut on Thursday. Cody Bellinger went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Trey Mancini went 1-for-3 with a strikeout and was also hit by a pitch. Eric Hosmer went 0-for-4, though he had an RBI. Miles Mastrobuoni went 0-for-3 in the game. What’s Next? After taking Friday off, the Cubs will send Justin Steele to the mound on Saturday to face Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers at 1:20 in Wrigley. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SUN MON TUE WED THU TOT Fulmer 0 0 0 0 15 15 Boxberger 0 0 0 0 14 14 Thompson 0 0 0 0 14 14 Wesneski 0 0 0 0 0 0 Leiter 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rucker 0 0 0 0 0 0 Merryweather 0 0 0 0 0 0 Assad 0 0 0 0 0 0 Alzolay 0 0 0 0 0 0 Feel free to discuss the Cubs win in Game 1. 161 more to go to 162-0. View full article

The Twins see the Rays a lot in spring training, so I've strangely watched Mastrobuoni quite a bit. I actually like him in that utility role. He's just a solid player. He's obviously not a star. He's not really a starter. but he can make the plays and put together quality at-bats and make contact. However, after writing an article that had me writing his name like 5-6 times, I'm not a fan anymore. That's too much thinking to spell. Ha!