AAA
Game Recap
Alec Mills took the hill for the first time this year. He struck out five without walking a batter but he also got tagged for eight hits in just three innings. Still, you gotta start somewhere. He threw 62 pitches. My guess is he makes another 1-2 starts with Iowa to get him above the 80 pitch mark.
Top Performers
- Matt Dermody: 3 IP, 6 H R, 0 BB, K (2.92)
- Kevin McCarthy: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (0.00)
- Ildemaro Vargas: 2-3, R, 2 RBI (.283)
- Jared Young: 2-4 (.267)
- Donnie Dewees: 1-4, 2B, R (.314)
AA
Game Recap
Watch out for Riley Thompson this year. His innings load will be monitored closely but the guy has a lot of talent out on the mound and he could very well be a help to the Cubs in 2023 if he can manage to stay healthy this year while building up some stamina. He’s got MOR stuff and tossed three shutout innings yesterday.
Peyton Remy followed with 5 dominant innings, then Brandon Hughes capped off the shutout with a perfect 9th. The three combined to punch out 12 Trash Pandas.
The offense was led by the two Nelson’s, Velazquez and Maldonado. Those two should really have begun in Iowa in my view. Nelson Velazquez blasted his 5th homer already on the season, and Nelson Maldonado went 3-for-3 and drew a walk to raise his batting average to .400.
Top Performers
- Riley Thompson: 3 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K (3.00)
- Peyton Remy: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K (W, 2-0, 3.86)
- Nelson Velazquez: 1-4, HR (5), R, 2 RBI (.280)
- Nelson Maldonado: 3-3, 2B, RBI, BB (.400)
- Chris Morel: 1-3, R, BB (.245)
High-A
Game Recap
Matt Mervis knocked in five runs on a 3rd inning three-run homer and an 8th inning two-run shot. The Cubs other two runs came on an RBI double by Alexander Canario and a solo homer by Scott McKeon.
Matt Mervis 2 run jack pic.twitter.com/gvwmJqq8GA
— Todd (@CubsCentral08) April 23, 2022
Things you love to see: hard hit singles by Caissie and Piñango to set up the go ahead HR by Mervis. pic.twitter.com/uaWKvcmROx
— Brad (@ballskwok) April 23, 2022
It was a struggle for starter Daniel Palencia through his three innings (5 H, 5 R), but piggyback starter Manuel Espinoza more than made up for it. He earned the win with five shutout innings while Mervis did his work with the lumber to trigger the South Bend comeback.
He's a former college SS… https://t.co/fi1XPl94Dh
— Michael Ernst (@mj_ernst) April 24, 2022
Top Performers
- Matt Mervis: 2-4, 2 HR (1, 2), 2 R, 5 RBI (.257)
- Scott McKeon: 1-3, HR (1), R, RBI (.235)
- Luis Verdugo: 2-4, 2B (.257)
- Alexander Canario: 1-4, 2B, R, RBI (.188)
- Manuel Espinoza: 5 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (W, 1-1, 1.50)
- Hunter Bigge: IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (S, 2, 0.00)
Low-A
Game Recap
Another day, another good game for Pete Crow-Armstrong. He went 2-for-4 with his bases loaded double in the 6th providing the Pelicans staff with a ton of breathing room. Ethan Hearn hit a two-run double earlier in the game to give Myrtle Beach the lead and which proved to be the game winner as the Pelicans pitchers tossed a beauty.
He's a former college SS… https://t.co/fi1XPl94Dh
— Michael Ernst (@mj_ernst) April 24, 2022
21-year old Porter Hodge has been a nice story early on for the Pelicans. He’s been working in the mid-90s and I’ve seen reports of solid secondary offerings as well (but it’s been hard to get a read myself as the video coverage of Pelicans game so far has been lacking). He’ll be someone I pay close attention to once Myrtle Beach gets that broadcasts up and running. His five shutout innings earned him his first win and lowered his ERA to 2.19.
Top Performers
- Porter Hodge: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (W, 1-0, 2.19)
- Luis Rodriguez: 3 IP, 3 H, R, 3 BB, 4 K (1.17)
- Pete Crow-Armstrong: 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, HBP (.289)
- Ethan Hearn: 1-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB (.158)
- James Triantos: 2-4, BB, (.204)
- Ezequiel Pagan: 1-3, R, BB (.114)
Filed under: Daily Cubs Minors Recap
Lot of good things happening in the minor leagues this week. Down the road it obviously looks now that Suzuki and B Davis likely will be fixtures in the Cubs OF. With both Nelson’s also being RH bats, it’d be nice to see them continue to hit well, through the time when they eventually get to Iowa. They could be valuable in a trade package to bring a player to Chicago, to fill an area of need. Although I don’t see Davis helping much, for at least a year. He needs to cut down on his strike outs IMO.
Brett Jackson?
Lol, we hope not.
Davis has a different profile as a player, but there is actually some similarities to Nico Hoerner in terms of development. Both flew through the system despite myriad of injuries and the cancelled 2020 MiLB campaign cutting down on their actual in-game experience. There have been some ups and downs with Nico's transition to the Majors, and I would expect Brennen to have the same. There will be stretches where he will K too much and his defense won't impress, but he'll do enough little things to keep his head above water, then eventually it will click.
PCA could be the number one prospect by the end of 2002 season.
He really has been filling up the box scores. Jed may have really came up with a good one.
PCA could be the number one prospect by the end of 2002 season.
Sorry did not mean to post this 2 times