Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 24

So some serious news from the Cubs’ Dominican complex:

(The photo is just a picture of Alcántara in a Cubs uniform.)

I don’t know much about Josefrailin Alcántara. Here’s the scouting report that Baseball America wrote on him when he signed.

Josefrailin Alcantara, OF, Dominican Republic: Alcantara is a strong, physical 6-foot-2 center fielder with big tools, with his speed and arm both grading out at least plus, with impressive raw power for his age as well. It’s a power-over-hit profile with a chance to stay in center field, though given his build, Alcantara could end up in right field if his speed backs up as he gets older.

However, last year as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League, Alcántara hit .136 with two home runs over 40 games. He did steal 21 bases in 25 attempts.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were shredded by the Nashville Sounds (Brewers), 13-2.

It was a bad day in Tennessee if your last name was “Thompson” and you were a Cub. Starter Riley Thompson didn’t make it out of the second inning after giving up four runs in the first inning on back-to-back home runs. Thompson’s final line was four runs on three hits and one walk over 1.2 innings. Riley Thompson did not have a strikeout.

Riley Thompson was relieved by Keegan Thompson, who gave up four runs of his own in the third inning. Keegan’s final line was four runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. He walked three and struck out no one.

Codi Heuer threw 1.2 scoreless innings in a rehab appearance. Heuer allowed one hit. He struck out two and walked one.

Third baseman Jake Slaughter had most of Iowa’s offense today, going 2 for 4 with a double and a solo home run in the third inning. It was Slaughter’s tenth home run this year.

Slaughter’s home run.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were kicked off their land by the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 3-1.

Kohl Franklin started and took the loss, although he didn’t pitch poorly. Franklin allowed two runs on five hits over 5.2 innings. The runs came on a solo home run by Xavier Fernandez in the second inning and an RBI single in the sixth by Alsander Womack. Franklin walked one and struck out three.

Third baseman BJ Murray Jr. doubled home shortstop Luis Vazquez in the bottom of the first inning for the Smokies only run. Murray was 1 for 4 and Vazquez was 2 for 4.

Owen Caissie returned to the lineup and right field. He went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Here’s Murray’s double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs fell valiantly to the Dayton Dragons (Reds), 4-1.

Starter Cade Horton had his best game in High-A and a career-high in strikeouts, but he took the loss anyway. Horton pitched four innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out eight and walked no one.

Right fielder Ezequiel Pagan singled home second baseman Liam Spence in the sixth inning for the Cubs’ only run. Pagan was 1 for 4 and Spence went 1 for 2 with a walk.

Here are some Cade Horton highlights:

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans poked the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros), 6-5 in ten innings.

Starter Michael Arias kept the Woodpeckers from scoring over three innings. He allowed two hits and walked three while striking out five.

Arias was relieved by Dominic Hambley, who struggled. Hambley allowed four runs, two earned on four hits over three innings. He walked three, hit one and struck out two.

The win went to Yovanny Cabrera, who tossed 2.2 innings without allowing a run in relief. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out three.

After the Pelicans took a 6-5 lead in the top of the tenth, Cabrera got into trouble, however, loading the bases with two outs on walks. So Angel Gonzalez came in to get the final out of the game and the save on a 6-3 groundout. (Honestly. the batter looked safe at first to me, although I admit the video feed wasn’t great. The batter was ejected for arguing the call, but the game was already over.)

The Birds took a 5-4 lead with a three-run top of the seventh, highlighted by back-to-back RBI doubles by right fielder Andy Garriola and left fielder Felix Stevens. Both players were 2 for 5 with an RBI. Garriola scored two runs.

Second baseman Reivaj Garcia was 2 for 4 with two walks and a steal. He scored twice.