Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: Iowa plays two and Chase Strumpf gets promoted

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 4-2 (Game One)

The Iowa Cubs beat the Columbus Clippers 9-0 (Game Two)

The first game was a completion of Tuesday’s rainout. The Cubs managed to score a quick run in the first inning off of Guardians starter Triston McKenzie who was on a rehab assignment but wouldn’t score again until the sixth and by that point it wouldn’t be enough to force the comeback. In the second game, however, the bats were very much awake and the pitchers came to play in a completely dominant 9-0 victory for Iowa. 

Nelson Velazquez (OF) went a combined 2-5 with a home run, three walks, three RBI, and a run scored. 

Nick Madrigal (2B) went a combined 4-7 with a home run, a double, two singles, a walk, three runs scored, and an RBI. Madrigal is a perfect example of the difference between AAA and Major League talent because he is seeing and hitting the ball as well this week as Morel or Mervis did at the beginning of the season. 

Jake Slaughter (3B) went a combined 1-4 with three walks, an RBI, a run scored, and two stolen bases, hot off of being named AAA hitter of the month by Cubbies Crib.

Brennen Davis (OF) went a combined 1-7 with a double and an RBI but he also added two strikeouts and his batting average now sits at .186 for the year. 

Miguel Amaya (C) went 0-2 with two walks in the first game, but he did also throw out two runners trying to steal on him. 

Jared Young (1B) went a combined 1-6 with a home run, a walk, three RBI, and two runs scored.  

Chase Strumpf (2B) only played in the second game but he didn’t disappoint in his first game at AAA as he went 1-3 with a home run and three RBI. 

Riley Thompson (RHP) started this one and went three innings and gave up two runs on two hits, two walks and struck out two. 

Keegan Thompson (RHP) was finally good in this one. Let’s hope this turned the corner because yesterday he pitched two scoreless, hitless innings and only gave up a single walk and struck out two.

Daniel Palencia (RHP) Daniel Palencia was solid again in this one since getting called up to AAA. He pitched a perfect 6th inning and struck out one. 

Bailey Horn (LHP) threw one scoreless inning and only gave up a single hit while striking out one and walking none. 

Chris Clarke (RHP) went three scoreless innings to start the second game and gave up two hits and two walks while striking out three. 

Codi Heuer (RHP) went an inning and aside from giving up a solo home run he pitched well and struck out one. 

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

The Tennessee Smokies lost to the Chattanooga Lookouts 9-5

The Smokies jumped out to an early lead but gave it back in the fourth. After a couple of good innings, they re-took the lead in the 7th but gave up a run in the top of the 9th to tie it up and then lost it in the 11th after they gave up four runs in the top of the inning. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF) went 3-6 with a home run, two singles, two RBI and a run scored. 

Owen Caissie (OF) went 2-6 with two singles and a run scored.

Pablo Aliendo (C) continued to mash going 2-4 with his 8th home run of the season, a single, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored.

Haydn McGeary (1B) went 2-5 with two singles.

Andy Weber (2B) went 3-5 with three singles and an RBI

Jordan Wicks (LHP) started the game in this one and had some trouble keeping the ball in the yard. He gave up four runs over five innings on eight hits, one walk, and three home runs while striking out five. 

Ryan Jensen (RHP) continued to recover from a rough start to the season by going one scoreless inning and giving up a walk and a hit as well as striking out one. 

South Bend Cubs (A+)

The South Bend Cubs lost to the Fort Wayne TinCaps 5-2

This was a tough game to watch for South Bend fans. They only managed five hits (none for extra bases) and five walks that were scattered throughout the game. They had a baserunning error when a runner got picked off of first base and had two defensive errors as well. The bright spot was that Cade Horton continued to rack up the strikeouts this season and another relief prospect began to shine. 

James Triantos (2B) was his usual dominant self. In a game where the Cubs had a total of ten baserunners, Triantos represented three of them by going 2-3 with two singles and a walk. That raises his batting average to .328 on the year and with Chase Strumpf making his way to Iowa, Triantos could be in Tennessee soon. 

Cade Horton (RHP) continued to strikeout batters in bunches. He went four innings and only gave up one run (unearned) on three hits and one walk while striking out nine to reduce his ERA on the year to 6.14.

Zac Leigh (RHP) pitched a great 7th inning. He didn’t allow a hit or a run and only gave up one walk while striking out the other three batters he faced. This season he’s only appeared twice for a total of two innings and has five strikeouts, but if you include last year’s stats the 2021 16th-round pick has 74 strikeouts over 45.1 innings pitched. He’s one to keep an eye on, even if he is 25 at High-A. 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans lost to the Salem Red Sox 3-0

If the South Bend game was tough to watch then the Myrtle Beach game was torture. The Pelicans racked up a total of four hits and two walks with the only real bright spot coming on the mound in the form of a couple of pitchers we’ve had our eye on this month. 

Andy Garriola (OF) went 0-3 with a walk and a stolen base. That’s the best offensive stat line I’ve got for you in this one. 

Michael Arias (RHP) has to have the Blue Jays kicking themselves a little bit so far this year. He went five hitless, scoreless innings and only walked two while striking out six. He’s going to be a fun story to watch. 

Jordan Holloway (RHP) continued to look like a perfectly usable bullpen piece as he pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and only gave up a single hit with no walks and three strikeouts.

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