Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: David Bote's heroics still on display in the minors

Honorable Mentions

Felix Stevens 

OF (High-A South Bend Cubs)

.375/.500/.938 3 HR, 4 BB, 8 RBI, 6 R 

Felix Stevens had the best week of his career with the Cubs this week as he hit three homers and dominated the younger competition that High-A offers. 

He’s been extremely boom-or-bust so far this season as he carries just a .192 batting average on the year but a .466 slugging percentage thanks to the six homers and 37 strikeouts he has in 73 at-bats. 

He’ll be 25 years-old in July and he’s already nearly two years older than the average competitor at the level so there’s not much long-term upside here, but it’s good to see a guy that grinds at his craft put together a solid week like this one. 

Ty Johnson

RHP (Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans)

1 GS, 4.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 H, 1 BB, 9 K

Last week, the Cubs had three of their 2023 draft picks listed as honorable mentions. This week, Ty Johnson continued to make that 2023 class look like the best one of all thirty teams in the league when the 15th round pick struck out more than two batters per inning. 

He’s older than the average competitor at Low-A but he’s dominated all season to the tune of 28 strikeouts in just 19 innings. He’s carrying a 2.37 ERA and while he’s still walking more batters than you’d like to see, the number is considerably lower than it was while he was in college so the Cubs may have helped him figure something out. 

Johnson has started in three of his six appearances so far this year and while there’s not much information to draw from appearances in this level of the minors it is at least a little intriguing to see that he finished a game as well. It could be nothing, but the Cubs love high-strikeout guys that can move quickly through the minors in the bullpen and they may have found another one with Johnson.