Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Can we just have Jackson Ferris in the majors now?

In addition to our Chicago Minor League Recaps, Prospect of the Week, and Prospect of the Month pieces, we'll also be starting a weekly mailbag and linking the form to ask your questions at the top of each daily recap. If you've got questions about specific prospects or the farm in general, ask them here!

Iowa Cubs (AAA)

The Iowa Cubs lost to the Columbus Clippers 5-3

After winning Friday’s first game on the second pitch due to Thursday’s rainout, the Clippers have had Iowa’s number. The Cubs went down again in this one and it really wasn’t as close as it looked as Iowa began the 9th inning down 5-1 before adding a couple of runs to make it a more respectable 5-3 final. 

Nelson Velazquez (OF) went 1-3 with two walks and an RBI.

Brennen Davis (OF) went 1-3 with a double.

Miguel Amaya (C) got the call back up to the big league squad. It’ll be interesting to see how long he stays up but he had been hitting the ball pretty well in AAA and may be as good today as Tucker Barnhart so it wouldn’t shock me if the Cubs keep him up for a while. 

Jared Young (1B) went 3-4 with two doubles and a walk.

Chase Strumpf (2B) went 1-3 with walk and a run scored.

Yonathan Perlaza (OF) went 1-5 with a run scored and an RBI.

Caleb Kilian (RHP) went six innings in this one and gave up three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three. This is the line I expect to see with him at this point and while a quality start is nice, he’s got to start missing more bats to have a chance for a promotion. 

Codi Heuer (RHP) wasn’t good yesterday. He only managed to get a single out as he gave up two earned runs on two hits and a walk.

Daniel Palencia (RHP) went two scoreless innings yesterday while giving up a run and a hit to finish off the game. 

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-1

It was close in this one until the fifth when the Lookouts jumped on Smokies’ starter Walker Powell for three runs and that would end up being more than enough. Tennessee added a run of their own in the eighth but couldn’t get anything going after that and would end up falling 4-1. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF) went 1-4 with a home run and two strikeouts.

Andy Weber (2B) went 1-3 with a double and a walk.

Luis Vazquez (SS) went 1-3 with a single and a walk.

BJ Murray (3B) went 1-3 with a single and a walk.

Ryan Jensen (RHP) went two perfect innings and struck out three. It’s interesting how frequently they’re pitching Jensen right now, even though he’s in AA he’s an arm that has the first-round pedigree that may be called upon later this season if/when the bullpen continues to struggle. 

Walker Powell (RHP) threw five innings and gave up three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four. 

South Bend Cubs (A+)

The South Bend Cubs beat the Fort Wayne TinCaps 11-4

The bats showed up to play yesterday and it’s all the fun names you’d want to see (and may be able to see in Tennessee soon). This game was close until the 8th inning when South Bend poured in six unanswered runs to come away with the 11-4 victory and finished the game out with a couple of great pitching performances out of the pen. 

James Triantos (2B) continues to look like he’s too good for High-A as he went 2-4 with a double, a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored.

Ezequiel Pagan (OF) is in the same boat as Triantos where a new challenge appears to be in order as he went 2-5 with two singles, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. 

Kevin Made (SS) went 1-5 but did score two runs.

Kevin Alcantara (OF) went 3-5 with three singles and an RBI.

Richard Gallardo (RHP) got the start yesterday and went five innings giving up four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six. 

Sheldon Reed (RHP) took the win by going 1.2 perfect innings and striking out three. 

Zac Leigh (RHP) went 1.1 innings and struck out one. He’s only pitched in three games so far this year but he’s still yet to give up a run and has a 0.30 WHIP.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Salem Red Sox 7-5 (Game One)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Salem Red Sox 5-2 (Game Two)

For what felt like the tenth time this week a Cubs’ affiliate had to play a double-header due to a postponed game earlier in the week. That being said, this one felt good as the Pelicans were able to walk out with two wins thanks to the offense in the first game and the pitching staff (specifically the most special talent in the system) in the second game. 

Rafael Morel (SS) had an interesting double-header. He went 1-1 with three walks and two runs scored, but he was also picked off of second base and caught stealing third base.

Moises Ballesteros (C) also had a mixed bag. He went a combined 1-4 with a double, two walks, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base on offense, and then on defense he picked a runner off at first base but also had a passed ball and an error on another pickoff attempt. 

Ismael Mena (OF) went 1-4 with a double and an RBI.

Reivaj García (3B) went 3-4 with a stolen base, an RBI, and a run scored. 

Parker Chavers (OF) went 2-3 with two singles, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. 

Pedro Ramirez (2B) went a combined 3-4 with a triple, a walk, a stolen base, four RBI and three runs scored

Nick Hull (RHP) started the first game and went three innings and gave up two runs on one hit and three walks while striking out two. He couldn’t avoid the walks in this one and that burned him as it took 49 pitches to get him through three innings. 

Yovanny Cabrera (RHP) went three innings and only gave up one (unearned) run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. 

Saul Gonzalez (RHP) closed out the first game and took a blown save and a win. He went two innings and gave up two runs on one hit and two walks while striking out four. 

Jackson Ferris (LHP) was not good today. Obviously that’s a lie, Jackson Ferris is good everyday. He went three scoreless, hitless innings walking two and striking out one to drop his ERA to an otherworldly 0.64. 

Scarlyn Lebron (RHP) wasn’t as good as his last game but he did take the win in the second game. He went two innings and gave up two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two.

In addition to our Chicago Minor League Recaps, Prospect of the Week, and Prospect of the Month pieces, we'll also be starting a weekly mailbag and linking the form to ask your questions at the top of each daily recap. If you've got questions about specific prospects or the farm in general, ask them here!

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