Cubs Minor League Wrap: June 5

Once again, thanks to those who joined our draft thread today. We'll do it one more time as the draft concludes with rounds 16-40 on Wednesday, starting at 11 am.

The Cubs took a ton of pitchers today, at one point taking seven pitchers in a row. Of the 17 players they have drafted so far, 12 are pitchers.

The new draft rules have had a weird effect on the draft, as most teams took players in the 6th through 10th round who would sign cheaply, rather than the best players available. The players who would normally have been taken in those rounds then went in rounds 11 through 15, where if they failed to sign, it wouldn't cost the team any of their bonus pool money. So as a general rule, a player taken in the 12th round is a better prospect than a player taken in the 7th round. Got it? (I'm so glad that Major League Baseball made the draft more sensible.)

Iowa Cubs

After winning six games in a row, tonight the Iowa Cubs lost their sixth game in a row, 4-3 to the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Astros), 4-3.

Frankie De La Cruz started tonight, but left with an injury in the third inning after running out a bunt. He pitched two scoreless innings before exiting, allowing three hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out two.

Jay Jackson took over for De La Cruz and pitched very well. He allowed but one run on four hits over five innings. Jackson struck out four and walked no one.

Jackson was in line for the win when Rafael Dolis entered the game in the ninth with a 3-1 lead. But Dolis allowed a two-on, two-out game-ending home run to former Cub Brad Snyder. Dolis got his first loss with three runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. Dolis had two strikeouts and did not walk anyone.

The I-Cubs took advantage of two RedHawks errors to score three runs only three hits. Second baseman Diory Hernandez was 1 for 2 with a double and a walk. He scored once.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies battered the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), 12-3.

Eric Jokisch started the game and tossed seven shutout innings for his second Smokies win. Jokisch gave up five hits. He walked one and struck out one.

The Smokies banged out 15 hits tonight, and none of them went over the wall. First baseman Justin Bour led the attack with four hits in six at bats. He had one double. Bour scored once and had two runs batted in.

Center fielder Jae-Hoon Ha was 2 for 3 with a triple and two walks. Ha scored twice and had three RBI. Ha now has now drawn 24 walks this season in 56 games. Last season in 132 games, Ha walked 23 times.

Second baseman Logan Watkins was 2 for 4 with a double and two walks. He knocked two in and scored twice. Third baseman Matt Cerda went 2 for 4 with two walks. Cerda scored twice.

DH Mike Burgess went 2 for 6 and scored twice.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs arrested the Bradenton Marauders (Pirates), 6-5.

Austin Kirk started tonight's contest and allowed only one run over the first six innings. Kirk gave up four hits and issued three walks. Kirk fanned seven.

Ryan Searle entered the game after Jeffrey Lorick allowed three runs in the seventh and picked up his third win when the D-Cubs roared back in the eighth and ninth innings. Searle pitched two innings and allowed one run in the ninth. He gave up two hits. Searle walked one and struck out two.

Left fielder Nelson Perez hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, his tenth on the season. Perez was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored twice.

Center fielder Rubi Silva was 2 for 4 with a double a run scored.

Third baseman Taylor Davis hit a two-run single in the eighth to put Daytona up for good. Davis was 1 for 2 with two walks. He also scored a run.

Peoria Chiefs

Well-deserved off-day.