Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Ed Howard returns in a big way

Iowa Cubs (AAA)
Tennessee Smokies (AA)
South Bend Cubs (A+)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

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Iowa Cubs (AAA)

The Iowa Cubs lost to the St. Paul Saints 10-4

This one was eerily similar to the major league game against the Angels. The Cubs jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second inning and then gave it back in two big innings by players that were aggressively moved from the lower levels all the way up to AAA to try to help the Big League bullpen as soon as possible.

Nick Madrigal (2B) is still on a hot streak. He went 3-5 with two doubles (his 4th and 5th since joining AAA) and a run scored.

Jared Young (1B) went 1-4 with a double, a walk and an RBI

Yonathan Perlaza (OF) went 2-4 with a home run, a walk and three RBI.

Chris Clarke (RHP) started the game but only lasted 2.1 innings after giving up a run on four hits and a walk while striking out two.

Cam Sanders (RHP) went 1.2 innings and also allowed a run but only gave up one hit and one walk while striking out two.

Jordan Holloway (RHP) is the one that put up the ugly number in this one. He did get called up from Myrtle Beach only a few days ago so we’ll cut him some slack but he only went one inning and gave up four earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three.

Codi Heuer (RHP) threw a perfect 7th inning and struck out one.

Daniel Palencia (RHP) was not perfect. He had an almost identical line to Holloway as he went one inning and gave up four earned runs on four hits and a walk but he only struck out one.

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

The Tennessee Smokies beat the Rocket City Trash Pandas 8-5

The Trash Pandas may have the best name in all of minor league baseball and today that name translated to win for Rocket City. The names you’re used to seeing on the offense played well and a former first-round pick racked up the strikeouts but gave up too many hits to put the Smokies into the win column.

Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF) went 2-5 with a triple, a stolen base, two RBI and two runs scored.

Owen Caissie (OF) went 2-5 with a double and an RBI

Haydn McGeary (1B) went 2-3 with two singles, two walks and a run scored.

BJ Murray (3B) went 2-5 with a double and a run scored.

Cole Roederer (OF) went 1-5 but that one hit was a big one as he hit his third homer of the season which drove in two runs.

Jordan Wicks (LHP) gave up four earned runs over four innings on eight hits and a walk while striking out six.

Blake Whitney (RHP) righted the ship and struck out three over two perfect innings.

Luke Little (LHP) was less perfect but still strong as he gave up one run over 1.2 innings on one hit and a walk while striking out four.

South Bend Cubs (A+)

The South Bend Cubs lost to the Lansing Lugnuts 13-9

The loss of the game was overshadowed by the return of two prospects that Cubs fans have high hopes for. One of them came back and looked like he hadn’t missed a game, and the other looked like he may need a couple of games to knock the rust off and get back to where he’s been the last couple of seasons.

Ed Howard (SS) made his 2023 minor league debut and didn’t disappoint. He went 3-5 with a double, two singles and a run scored. The 2020 1st round pick has moved through the system more slowly than most had hoped but he’s still just 21 years old so there’s plenty of prospect status left here.

James Triantos (2B) went 1-5 with a double and an RBI.

Jacob Wetzel (OF) went 2-4 with a triple, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored.

Bryce Ball (1B) went 1-4 with a single, a walk and two RBI.

Kevin Alcantara (OF) was the player of the game in this one. He went 4-6 with a home run, three singles, a stolen base, three RBI and three runs scored.

Yohendrick Pinango (OF) went 2-5 with a double, a single and a run scored.

Luis Devers (RHP) also had his 2023 debut and wasn’t able to knock the rust off as easily as Howard did. He only lasted 0.2 innings and he gave up six earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out no one. He’s carried 2.68 ERA over 292.1 minor league innings so there’s reason to expect a bounce back in his next game.

Connor Noland (RHP) was also surprisingly ineffective.He went four innings and gave up four runs on six hits. He didn’t walk anyone but he only struck out one.

Frankie Scalzo Jr. (RHP) went two innings and gave up one run on two hits and a walk while striking out two.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Augusta GreenJackets 8-1

This was an all-around team win. The Pelicans got a great game from their starting pitcher and most of the big bats came through in the big moments. Moises Ballesteros did have his 5th passed ball and 6th error of the season in this game which is troubling and may lead to him being developed as a first baseman, but aside from that it was a strong showing.

Felix Stevens (OF) went 1-4 with a solo homerun.

Cristian Hernández (SS) went 0-3 but he walked once, stole a base and scored a run.

Reivaj García (DH) went 2-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

Moises Ballesteros (C) went 1-4 with three RBI and a run scored.

Pedro Ramirez (2B) went 2-3 with his third straight multihit game.

Grant Kipp (RHP) went six innings and only allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six.

Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Ed Howard returns in a big way