As you might expect after a four-day break, there were a ton of moves in the Cubs farm system today.
First off, first-round pick Ethan Conrad has signed. Conrad’s bonus was $3,563,100. which was $1,187,700 below the slot value for the 17th pick. That gives the Cubs a lot of flexibility signing the rest of their picks.
With Triple-A Iowa, RHP Chris Clarke and RHP Brandon Birdsell were both activated off the injured list. Both have been injured all season, although both have been pitching in rehab games
at a lower level for the past few weeks.
Left-hander Brandon Hughes was released.
Right-hander Chris Kachmar was demoted to Double-A Knoxville from Iowa.
With the Smokies, Shortstop Jefferson Rojas and right-hander Ryan Gallagher were both promoted to Knoxville from High-A South Bend.
Right-hander Cayne Ueckert was released.
With South Bend, right-handed pitchers Yenrri Rojas and Kevin Valdez were promoted to the Cubs from Low-A Myrtle Beach.
With Myrtle Beach, right-handers Ronny Lopez and Kevin Camacho were promoted to the Pelicans from the Arizona Complex League Cubs.
Right-hander Will Frisch retired.
Right-hander JP Wheat was moved to the 60-day injured list, which will end his season.
The Cubs also signed veteran right-handed reliever Spencer Turnbull to a minor league contract. Turnbull was released by the Blue Jays in June. Turnbull with pitch for Mesa for now, at least.
We’re starting with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans because:
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans no-hit the Augusta Green Jackets (Braves), 3-0.
Jostin Florentino and Kevin Camacho combined on a no-hitter. Florentino threw the first six innings and Camacho, in his Low-A debut, pitched the final three. There were only two baserunners—a walk in the first inning and an error in the sixth. Florentino struck out nine and walked one over six and Camacho was perfect over the final three innings, striking out four.
It was Myrtle Beach’s first nine-inning no-hitter since 2022 and it was the fifth in franchise history.
Catcher Owen Ayers hit an inside-the-park three-run home run in the first inning and that was it for the scoring in this game. It was Ayers’ fifth home run. He was 1 for 3.
Here’s Ayers’ home run. I suppose you could have ruled it an error by the right fielder. But they didn’t.
O-RUN AYERS !!! pic.twitter.com/kBYB9VQAzG
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) July 19, 2025
Florentino’s nine strikeouts.
Florentino went the whole 9 yards !! pic.twitter.com/qjYENS3p5l
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) July 19, 2025
Machado’s strikeout to end the game.
NO-HITTER !!!
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) July 19, 2025
BIRDS ARE HOT!!! pic.twitter.com/m7CfpXU0nz
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were sunk by the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 5-4 in ten innings.
Brandon Birdsell had trouble finding the zone in his first game for Iowa this year. Over the first 2.2 innings, Birdsell allowed two runs on two hits and five walks. He also hit one batter with the bases loaded. One of the runs was unearned after a passed ball. Birdsell struck out four.
The loss went to Gavin Hollowell, who gave up a two-out, RBI double in the top of the tenth. The final line on Hollowell was one unearned run on two hits over 1.2 innings. Hollowell struck out three and walked one.
DH Carlos Pérez hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, his team-leading 20th on the year. Pérez was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Shortstop Ben Cowles tied the game up at 4-4 with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth. Cowles went 1 for 2 with two walks and a stolen base.
Catcher Moisés Ballesteros was 2 for 5 and scored on the Pérez home run.
Center fielder Christian Franklin was 1 for 2 with a double and three walks. He scored on Cowles’ single.
The Carlos Pérez home run.
CARLOS PEREZ WITH HOME RUN NUMBER 20
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 19, 2025
2-2 TIE GAME pic.twitter.com/mNrAcIwX2L
Cowles’ two-run single.
BEN COWLES TIES THE GAME WITH A 2-RUN SINGLE! pic.twitter.com/WdJK3or1tQ
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 19, 2025
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies were subjugated by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 2-0.
Tyler Schlaffer was the victim of non-support as he got the loss after giving up just one run on five hits over four innings. Schlaffer struck out five and walked no one.
The Smokies had just six hits and one walk. Second baseman Reivaj Garcia was 2 for 4.
Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 1 for 4 with a double in his Double-A debut.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs were grounded by the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 1-0.
Starter Brooks Caple got the hard-luck loss after allowing just one run on four hits over 5+ innings. Caple walked two and struck out five.
The only run came after Caple left the game in the sixth. With runners on second and third and one out, reliever Luis Rujano gave up a fly ball to left fielder Edgar Alvarez that turned into an inning-ending double play when Alvarez nailed the runner on second trying to advance to third. But by that time, the runner on third had already scored the run.
South Bend had four hits in this game, all singles. Catcher Ariel Armas was 1 for 3 with a walk. Second baseman Rafael Morel was 1 for 2 with a walk.
ACL Cubs
Beat the White Sox, 4-2.
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