Chicago Cubs Minor League Recap: James Triantos May Necessitate a Call Up Soon

Tennessee Smokies (AA)

Tennessee Smokies beat the Birmingham Barons 7-5

This was the highest-scoring game in the system today but it was good to see the Smokies come away with the win yesterday and go four games over .500. The stars showed up to play today with great games from some of the Cubs' top prospects and also had some video game aspects to it as well as the Smokies had multiple home runs and stolen bases and as a team struck out 11 Barons.

Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF) went 1-3 with a single, two walks, and an RBI. It’s a matter of time before he’s at the AAA level if he continues to have days like today. 

Cole Roederer (OF) went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI. Roederer is often the forgotten prep outfielder that the Cubs drafted in the 2018 draft due to the existence of Brennen Davis, but there is absolutely a chance that Roederer ends up being the better player considering his on-base prowess. 

Chase Strumpf (2B) went 1-4 with his eighth double of the season and struck out twice. 

BJ Murray (3B) went hitless in three at bats but he did score a run and walked twice.

Bradlee Beesley (OF) went 3-4 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and his fourth stolen base on the season.

Nelson Maldonado (DH) went 2-4 with a home run, two runs scored, a walk and an RBI.

Blake Whitney (RHP) had an unusually rough day by his standards. He went two innings, gave up three earned runs on four hits and no walks and only managed to strike out a single batter, significantly lower than his season average.

Riley Martin (LHP) was awesome today. He went two scoreless innings, only allowed a single hit and no walks, and struck out four batters, lowering his season ERA to 3.32.