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Chicago Cubs Weekly Farm Report (4/19/22): System Boasts 5 Walk-Offs, Piggybackers are King
I typically spend the first week of the minor league season watching almost every inning of every single game, causing a mini-burnout by the third week or so. This year, I’ve paced myself and I’m feeling good as we complete the second week of the season. It’s a good thing, too. The bats slowly but surely seem to be making their way north from Arizona.
The second week of the season also happened to be the first full week for Myrtle Beach, South Bend, and Tennessee and I assure you, they did not disappoint. Let’s dig right into this week’s report!
Affiliate Records
Triple-A Iowa: 4-1 this week, 6-5 overall
Double-A Tennessee: 3-2 this week, 5-3 overall
High-A South Bend: 2-4 this week, 3-6 overall
Low-A Myrtle Beach: 4-2 this week, 5-4 overall
Trends and Notes
- There were walk-offs galore this week, with Myrtle Beach starting their home schedule with three wins in their last at-bat and Iowa beginning their slate at Principal Park with two of their own.
- We are already seeing the emphasized importance of piggybackers to begin the season. None of the pitchers in the minor leagues are stretched out and they probably won’t reach 80 or so pitches until several weeks into the season. That means guys like Riley Martin, Manny Espinoza, Joe Nahas, Peyton Remy, and Max Bain become even more important than usual, working multiple innings out of the bullpen.
- The Single-A teams are both still struggling to put up good offensive numbers. Young hitters such as Owen Caissie, Kevin Alcántara, and James Triantos have yet to put together any meaningful production to this point. Howevah! It’s still very early and numbers should not be read as gospel. Give these guys to the 100 plate appearance mark before you even begin to worry in the slightest.
- We’re all paying extra attention to the players that are making their return from injury. I covered Kohl Franklin and Riley Thompson in last week’s Farm Report and this week’s update is a little different.
- Franklin struggled mightily the first 20 pitches or so of his outing, giving up a dribbler to third, a bloop over the shortstop, two walks, and four stolen bases. After a mound visit from his pitching coach, he struck the next two batters out and didn’t miss a single spot. His ability to refocus was super impressive.
- Thompson, on the other hand, struck out eight of the 10 batters he faced and now has fanned 13 of the last 17 batters he’s faced this season. The stuff…it’s good.
Standout Players
- Darius Hill (AA): 17 PA, 8 hits, 2 doubles, 2 strikeouts
- P.J. Higgins (AAA): 17 PA, double, home run, 3 walks
- Nelson Maldonado (AA): 12 PA, 3 doubles, 2 strikeouts
- Jared Young (AAA): 18 PA, double, home run, 3 walks, 5 RBI
- Donnie Dewees (AAA): 14 PA, 5 hits, home run, 5 RBI, 2 strikeouts
- Dixon Machado (AAA): 19 PA, 3 doubles, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts
- Luis Vazquez (AA): 17 PA, 2 doubles, home run
- Alexander Canario (A+): 23 PA, 3 doubles, 4 walks, 5 RBI
- Daniel Palencia (A+): 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 8 walks, 9 strikeouts
- Riley Martin (A-): 4.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
- Blake Whitney (AA): 4.1 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts
- DJ Herz (A+): 4.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
- Brandon Hughes (AA): 3.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
- Sheldon Reed (A+): 3.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts
- Riley Thompson (AA): 3.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
The Highlights
Perlaza just ka-rushed a pitch. pic.twitter.com/ksbV1zyy6v
— Itsacon (@thats_so_cub) April 13, 2022
Drive Home Safely !!!! pic.twitter.com/D8wXq31nKn
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 13, 2022
Best play of the season that didn’t actually count? The batter strikes out swinging for the third out, catcher Bryce Windham tags him out on the drop third, and then dives to tag out speedster Greg Jones at the plate for the fourth out of the inning.
Athlete. pic.twitter.com/Pdbm3uF6kw
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) April 13, 2022
Bryce Windham. 1 inning. 2 runners caught stealing. pic.twitter.com/PpQRZAHCA3
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) April 14, 2022
This is Christopher Morel making an out. You should still watch. pic.twitter.com/a9JIFngPvH
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) April 14, 2022
No video feed for Myrtle Beach right now, but Luis Devers shared some nice footage from last night on his Instagram. pic.twitter.com/ETHMCetT5p
— Brad (@ballskwok) April 15, 2022
Lol you should not run on Nelson Velazquez pic.twitter.com/M1ucXYyvMI
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) April 16, 2022
Brennen Davis does that defense thing too! He’s all over the place out there tonight, with 6 catches while manning CF pic.twitter.com/GEwpflKqHt
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) April 16, 2022
BUH BYE JARED YOUNG!
Tie game in the 8th inning, JY hits his 3rd tank of the season, this one a go-ahead grand slam! pic.twitter.com/SE5hJHWOhg
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) April 16, 2022
Here are all 5 Ks from @Cubs prospect DJ Herz earlier today #ItsDifferentHere (📽️ MiLBtv)
The @SBCubs LHP is among the most promising pitchers in the #MidwestLeague
Final line: 4IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K pic.twitter.com/xAYRyRiW2J
— Doug Otto (@hdouglasotto) April 16, 2022
Still 100 after 50 pitches pic.twitter.com/mDbE2P3SwT
— Todd ⚾️🐻🦌 (@CubsCentral08) April 17, 2022