Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 6

After a rare Tuesday off, the Cubs minor leagues were back in action tonight.

Although the official roster will not be announced until tomorrow, there are multiple reports that Pete Crow-Armstrong will be named the the Futures Game. So congratulations to PCA. Well-deserved.

The Cubs named Pelicans outfielder Ezequiel Pagán and South Bend Cubs right-handed pitcher Daniel Palencia as the Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for June, respectively.

From the press release:

Pagán, who turns 22 on July 8, hit .367 (29-for-79) with five doubles, two triples, three home runs, 27 RBI, a .474 on-base percentage and a 1.069 OPS in 23 games in June for Myrtle Beach. His 27 RBI in June were the most among Cubs minor leaguers, while his .367 average was the second highest. The left-handed hitting outfielder raised his season average from .233 to .292 during the month, which included eight multi-hit games and five three-hit efforts.

And . .

Palencia, 22, went 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA (9 ER/22.1 IP), 28 strikeouts, a 0.99 WHIP and a .207 opponent average (17-for-82) in five June starts for South Bend. The right-handed pitcher twice tied a season high with seven strikeouts, June 4 at Dayton and June 22 vs. Peoria. He walked five batters while his 28 strikeouts were tied for the fourth-most among Cubs minor leaguers. Palencia finished the month by tossing 9.2-straight scoreless innings during his final two starts.

Again, well-deserved honors for both players.

Some great pitching in the system tonight. The four full-season teams allowed a combined four total runs. Two teams threw shutouts.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs beat Indianapolis (Pirates), 4-1. The win snaps a six-game I-Cubs losing streak.

Starter Luke Farrell gave up a solo home run in the second inning and that’s all the Lil’ Bucs would get tonight. Farrell pitched 4.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Sean Newcombe would follow that up with what his best outing of the year. Newcombe did not allow a hit or a run over 2.1 innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Steven Brault got a win in his Iowa Cubs debut when he pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning. But he did load the bases when he gave up two two-out singles and then hit a batter. Brault struck out one.

The save went to Erich Uelmen, who pitched the bottom of the ninth. Uelmen issued a lead-off single, but then retired the next three batters to end the game. Uelmen struck out two of them.

Catcher John Hicks broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth inning with a three-run home run, his eighth on the year. Hicks went 1 for 4.

Left fielder Jackson Frazier tied the game in the seventh inning with an RBI single. Frazier was 2 for 3 with a walk and he scored on Hick’s blast.

Center fielder Greg Deichmann went 2 for 4 and scored twice.

DH Darius Hill was 2 for 4.

Here’s the only highlight you need—Hicks’ home run. I think it landed in Muncie.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies defenestrated the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 8-0.

Riley Thompson hurled the first three innings and gave up just one hit. Thompson struck out four and walked one.

Samuel Reyes threw the next three and got the win. Reyes also allowed just one hit. He walked one and struck out two.

Bailey Horn allowed one hit over two innings and Jeremiah Estrada tossed a clean ninth to finish the three-hit shutout.

DH Matt Mervis hit a two-run home run in the third inning, his 20th home run on the year and 13th in Double-A. Mervis was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

Shortstop Luis Vazquez was a perfect 4 for 4 with a two-run double in the eighth inning. Vazquez scored one run.

First baseman Bryce Ball was 2 for 4 with two runs driven in and he scored once.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs defanged the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 3-0.

Three pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout. Starter Jordan Wicks pitched the first five innings and allowed just two hits as he got the win. Wicks struck out six and walked just one.

Luis Devers then made his South Bend debut, allowing two hits over three innings. Devers struck out three and walked no one.

Eduarniel Nunez pitched the ninth and got the save. Nunez did not give up a hit or issue a walk, but he did hit one batter while striking out one.

Left fielder Yohendrick Pinango drove in all three runs in this game. He put the first run on the board with a massive solo home run in the fourth inning. It was his 11th of 2022. In the bottom of the eighth, Pinango hit a two-run double. He was 2 for 4.

Third baseman Luis Verdugo was a perfect 2 for 2 with a double and a walk. He scored on Pinango’s double.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans put out the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 11-3.

Tyler Schlaffer started and allowed three runs on six hits over six innings en route to his fourth win. Schlaffer walked two and struck out four.

DH Ezequiel Pagán celebrated his Player of the Month honors by hitting a solo home run his first time up in the second inning. It was Pagan’s seventh home run. Pagán went 3 for 4 with a walk. He scored twice and had four runs batted in.

Shortstop Kevin Made went 2 for 5. He scored one run and drove in one.

Second baseman Josue Huma was 2 for 6. He scored twice and had one RBI.

Catcher Ethan Hearn was 0 for 1 with three walks and two runs scored.

Here’s Pagán’s home run.