Some honors for Cubs prospects came today. Infielder Pedro Ramírez was named International League Player of the Month for April. Ramírez batted .323/.398/.625 for the month and led the league-lead in home runs (seven), RBI (28) and runs scored (24). He also stole ten bases.
Right-hander Brooks Caple as named Midwest League Pitcher of the Month. Caple went 3-1 with a 2.89 ERA in four starts. He struck out 24 and walked only three over 18.2 innings for the month.
Fangraphs released their Top 34 Cubs
prospects yesterday. It’s interesting because they take into account the first month of the season in these rankings. The now-graduated Moisés Ballesteros is number one, so their current top Cubs prospect is infielder Jefferson Rojas.
Here’s their top ten.
- Moisés Ballesteros
- Jefferson Rojas
- Pedro Ramírez
- Jaxon Wiggins
- Kevin Alcántara
- Josiah Hartshorn
- Ethan Conrad
- Kane Kepley
- Brooks Caple
- Owen Ayers
Anyway, check out the full list.
There were a lot of moves in the system since Sunday.
Second baseman Hayden Cantrelle was moved from Triple-A Iowa to Double-A Knoxville
Right-hander Tyler Santana also went from Iowa to Knoxville.
Right-hander Brooks Caple was promoted to Knoxville from High-A South Bend.
Right-hander Jackson Kirkpatrick also went to Knoxville from South Bend.
Shortstop Alex Madera was demoted to South Bend from Knoxville.
Shortstop Geuri Lubo was sent to Low-A Myrtle Beach from South Bend
Right-hander Eli Jerzembeck was promoted to South Bend from Myrtle Beach.
Left-hander Pierce Coppola joins Myrtle Beach from the Development List.
Right-hander Jostin Florentino was assigned to the rookie ball ACL Cubs from Myrtle Beach. (That’s probably procedural as Florentino hadn’t pitched for the Pelicans yet this year.)
Catcher Haydn McGeary was released.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were sunk by the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 9-6.
Ty Blach took the loss after giving up six runs on ten hits over the first 3.2 innings. Blach walked one and struck out three.
DH BJ Murray connected for a three-run home run in the fifth inning, his fifth on the campaign. Murray was 1 for 5.
Center fielder Justin Dean doubled and tripled in a 2 for 5 night. Dean drove in two and scored once.
A double for Kevin Alcántara. He was 1 for 2 with two walks.
Murray’s home run.
A two-run triple for Dean.
Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies overthrew the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 10-4.
Yenrri Perez started and got his first win of the year after five scoreless innings. Perez allowed three hits and issued one walk while striking out four.
Jackson Kirkpatrick got a rude introduction to Double-A. In the one inning Kirkpatrick pitched, he gave up four runs on two hits and three walks. Only two of the four runs were earned, however. Kirkpatrick struck out one.
The Smokies jumped out to an early lead when shortstop Jefferson Rojas hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was his fourth of the year. Rojas went 2 for 4 with a walk and three overall runs batted in.
Third baseman Karson Simas made it 4-0 with a two-run home run in the second, his third this year. Simas went 1 for 4 and scored twice.
Center fielder Carter Trice had two doubles and one triple in a 3 for 4 night. He also walked once. Trice went 3 for 4. He had three RBI and scored once.
DH Owen Ayers was 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored. He also had one run batted in.
The Rojas home run.
An up-close look at the Simas HR.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs stripped the Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics), 9-1.
Starter Cole Reynolds retired the first nine batters of the game in order before leaving after three innings. Reynolds struck out five.
Adam Stone pitched the next three innings and got the win because Reynolds didn’t go five innings. Shaw surrendered one run on four hits. He walked one and did not strike anyone out.
Nate Williams threw two scoreless innings and Kenyi Perez one to close out the game.
Center fielder Kane Kepley showed the wheels with two triples tonight. Kepley went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored three runs and drove in one.
Shortstop Ty Southisene is off to a great start to his High-A career. Tonight Southisene was 2 for 3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. He had two RBI and one run scored.
Third baseman Matt Halbach was 3 for 4 and scored once.
Kepley’s first triple led off the bottom of the first.
Right-fielder Kade Snell just missed a home run. He settled for an RBI double. Snell was 1 for 5.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans boiled the Hickory Crawdads (Rangers), 7-5.
David Bracho threw the first 3.1 innings and allowed three runs on two hits and three walks. One of the three runs was unearned. Bracho struck out four.
Bracho left the game in the fourth inning with two on. He was relieved by Victor Zarraga, who gave up a three-run home run to the first batter he faced to make it 4-2 Crawdads. But he stayed in the game and got the win when the Pelicans came back. Zarraga allowed one run on three hits over 3.2 innings. He struck out two and walked no one.
Jordan Henriquez pitched the final two innings and got the save, despite giving up a solo home run in the eighth. Henriquez allowed one run on two hits. He struck out one and walked no one.
The Pelicans re-took the lead in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run home run by second baseman Jose Escobar. It was his second home run this year. Escobar was 2 for 4 and scored twice.
Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn was 3 for 5 with a double. Hartshorn had three RBI and one run batted in.
Shortstop Alexis Hernandez also went 3 for 5 with a double. He scored three times.
RBI double in the first inning for Hartshorn.
Escobar’s home run.
