Chicago Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 25

The Cubs signed second round compensation pick Jaxon Wiggins, a right-handed pitcher from Arkansas, for a bonus of $1,401,500. The slot value of his pick was $1,101,000. The deal was announced just a few hours before the 4 pm Central deadline today. The Cubs finished the draft handing out a total bonus figure that was a mere $100 below the 5% over slot threshold where they would have lost a draft pick.

The Cubs signed all 20 players taken in this year’s draft, only the second time they’ve ever signed every player they’ve drafted. The only other time was the abbreviated five-round draft in 2020.

With Wiggins and a few other players signing today, only one player taken in the first ten rounds of the recently-completed MLB Draft did not sign with their team. UC-Irvine outfielder Caden Kendle had agreed to a $175,000 bonus as a tenth-round pick of the Cardinals, but he ended up changing his mind and returning to school.

I spent the day at Oppenheimer, so I didn’t see any of these games this evening. Everyone won, so I guess I’m banned from watching any more games for the rest of the season.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs made the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) blue, 7-6.

Ben Brown started and allowed two runs on two hits over five innings. Brown walked two and struck out three.

The I-Cubs called upon Bailey Horn to finish out this game, but Horn got into trouble in the bottom of the ninth when he loaded the bases with one out on a single, a walk and another single. So Iowa called upon Cam Sanders to get out of the mess. But Sanders struggled, giving up an RBI single and then a sacrifice fly to get the Redbirds to within a run. But a flyout to center field by top prospect Masyn Winn would end the game and earn Sanders the save.

Catcher P.J. Higgins hit his first home run in his return to the Cubs. It came in the fourth inning and with a man on. Higgins went 3 for 4.

Right fielder Yonathan Perlaza had a huge night, going 3 for 4 with two doubles and a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was Perlaza’s 13th home run this year. Perlaza scored twice.

Nick Madrigal played the entire game at third base in a rehab appearance. He was 0 for 5 with one strikeout.

PJ Higgins’ home run.

Perlaza announces that he is death, destroyer of baseballs.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies banged on the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 8-4.

Starter Manuel Espinoza went 4.2 innings and surrendered three runs on eight hits. Two of those hits were back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning. Espinoza walked one and struck out three.

The win went to Carlos Guzman after the Smokies scored five runs in the top of the sixth. Guzman gave up three hits but no runs. He struck out three and walked one.

Danis Correa had to come on to get the save after Luke Little walked two of the first three batters of the ninth inning. (Little struck out the other one and actually walked four and struck out four in 1.1 innings. No runs and no hits.)

Anyway, Correa struck out both batters he faced to get the save.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit the first pitch of the game over the wall in right-center. It was his 13th home run of the year. Crow-Armstrong was 2 for 5 with a double and the home run. He scored twice.

In the eighth inning, third baseman BJ Murray Jr. connected for his 11th home run of the year with the bases empty. Murray Jr. went 2 for 4 with two runs batted in.

First baseman Haydn McGeary was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He drove in one run with the double in the sixth inning and then later scored on a single by Murray.

Second baseman Andy Weber went 2 for 4 with a double and a two-run single in the sixth.

Crow-Armstrong’s home run.

And his double.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs demoted the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 7-6.

Luis Devers started and got the win. He gave up three runs on three hits over five innings. Two of the runs came on a first-inning home run. Devers struck out five and walked one.

Frankie Scalzo Jr. came on to pitch the ninth in a non-save situation and allowed three runs on three hits in an inning. But all three runs were unearned and he had four runs to play with, so all is well. Scalzo struck out one and walked no one.

For the third-straight game, center fielder Christian Franklin hit a home run. This one was a three-run homer in the sixth inning and was his fourth for South Band this year and seventh overall. Franklin went 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

DH Yohendrick Pinango was 3 for 4 with a walk and one RBI.

Shortstop Kevin Made went 3 for 5 and batted in one run.

Left fielder Ezequiel Pagan was 2 for 4 with an RBI double. He scored twice.

Second baseman James Triantos went 2 for 4 with a walk.

Right fielder Jacob Wetzel was 2 for 4 with one run batted in.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans beat the Fredericksburg Nationals in a landslide, 11-6.

Nick Hull started and got the win. Hull pitched five innings and allowed four runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Third baseman Pedro Ramirez hit a three-run home run in the second inning, his fourth on the season. Ramirez went 1 for 5.

Left fielder Andy Garriola was 2 for 5 with a double. He scored one time and drove home one.

Right fielder Rafael Morel went 3 for 6 and scored once.

First baseman Reivaj Garcia was 2 for 6 with one run scored.

Center fielder Parker Chavers was 2 for 4 with a walk and two RBI. He scored twice.

Every Pelican in the starting lineup scored at least once and had at least one hit.

Cristian Hernandez got a triple off of this, but it’s a home run in my book.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Reds, 8-1.

So I lied when I said everyone won.