Cubs Insider Weekly Farm Report: 6/22 – 6/28

AAA: Iowa Cubs (4-2 record on the week)

Kyle Schwarber made his debut in Iowa last Tuesday going 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. We can call that an adjustment game, as Schwarber went 6-18 with a home run, triple, and 2 doubles the rest of the week.

Rehabbing Mike Olt had a solid week at the dish, finishing 6-23 with a homer run and 3 doubles.

Junior Lake made a great impact in a small amount of playing time by going 6-10 with 3 RBI in 3 games played last week.

Left-hander Drake Britton had his best performance of the season last Saturday, going 6 shutout innings versus New Orleans. He struck out 4 and walked none as he picked up his 4th win of the season. Britton, who has been used mostly as a long man, has started some games recently. The Cubs will be thrilled if he can start and be productive.

Frank Batista made his season debut in Iowa on Friday throwing 4 innings. He allowed 4 runs, however, only 1 was earned. Batista led the Southern League in ERA at the time of his promotion so it was much deserved.

Hitter of the week: Kyle Schwarber – 6-22, HR, 3B, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 R

Pitcher of the week: Carlos Pimentel – 1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K (1W)

 

AA: Tennessee Smokies (3-1 record on the week)

Billy McKinney didn’t miss a beat with the time off for the All-Star break. McKinney came out of the break just like he went in: scorching. He went 3-4 in the first game out of the break, raising his season average to .319. For the week he went 4-13 with a double and run scored.

Big Dan Vogelbach had a very productive week reaching base. He went a modest 3-10 at the dish, but he also walked 6 times; Vogelbach also hit his 5th home run of the year, his 1st in almost 2 months.

Stephen Bruno also stayed hot, going 4-12 with 4 RBI. Bruno was hitting .243 on May 3oth. As of June 28th he is hitting 50 points higher with an average of .293.

Willson Contreras went 3-10 with 2 RBI and continues to have a resurgent season as his triple slash line now reads .330/.393/.495.

Rob Zastryzny came off the disabled list on Sunday to throw 4 innings versus Mobile. The 2nd round pick from 2013 allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks. He also struck out 4.

Ivan Pineyro had a nice start his last time out going 5 innings while allowing 2 runs. Pineyro struck out 5 and walked 2.

Reliever Corey Black made 1 appearance throwing 2 scoreless innings and striking out 3.

Hitter of the week: Dan Vogelbach – 3-10, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 3 R

Pitcher of the week: Ivan Pineyro – 1 GS, 5 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (ND)

 

High-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans (0-4 record on the week)

The bats were silent coming out of the break for the Pelicans and that showed in their winless record.

Catcher Victor Caratini went 4-12 with a home run and 2 RBI. Caratini also walked 4 times.

Chesny Young went 4-18 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.

Outfielder Pin-Chieh Chen went 5-17 with a stolen base, his 10th of the season with Myrtle Beach.

Jonathan Martinez has been the silent assassin of the staff for Myrtle Beach this season. The right-hander went 7 innings on Sunday and allowed only 1 run, striking out 5 and walking none. That was his 4th start in which he allowed 1 run or less in his last 5. Martinez is 5-1 with a 2.77 ERA on the season.

A bit of bad news for two of the Pelicans starters. as both Duane Underwood Jr. and Tyler Skulina were removed early from their respective starts. Later in the week we found out both pitchers were placed on the disabled list. Hopefully it is nothing serious for either one.

Hitter of the week: Victor Caratini – 4-12, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 2 R

Pitcher of the week: Jonathan Martinez – 1 GS, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (ND)

 

Low-A: South Bend Cubs (3-1 record on the week)

It’s Gleyber Torres’ world and we are just living in it. The shortstop went 7-17 at the dish with his 2nd home run of the season. Torres also drove in 4 runs and scored 3; as of Sunday, he is batting .319. Incredible showing for the young man.

Charcer Burks has been swinging a hot stick as of late and went 5-14 at the plate with 2 RBI. He also walked 3 times. Burks is hitting .361 in his last 10 ballgames.

Kevin Encarnacion went 3-9 with a home run. It was his 2nd of the season.

Trevor Clifton had his best start in almost 6 weeks. The right-hander went 6 shutout innings picking up a W against Lake County. It’s been an up and down season for Clifton, but hopefully he is on the verge of a nice two-month stretch to finish out the season.

Jake Stinnett continues to show his upside. Sure, the results may not be what you want yet, but he is slowly improving. Last time out, Stinnett went the deepest he has ever gone in a pro game, going 6.2 innings. Another positive to take out of his start was the lone walk he issued.

Hitter of the week: Gleyber Torres – 7-17, HR, 3B, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 3 R

Pitcher of the week: Trevor Clifton –  1 GS, 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K (W)

 

Short Season-A: Eugene Emeralds (4-3 record on the week)

Donnie Dewees and Matt Rose made their debuts last week. Dewees, the 2nd round pick out of North Florida, went 1-8 with 2 walks in his 2 games. Rose, the Cubs 11th round pick, went 3-8 with 2 RBI and 2 runs in his 2 games.

A name to keep an eye on is Tyler Alamo. He went 5-14 with 5 RBI on the week and carries a 6 game hitting streak going into the new week. Alamo was a 23rd round pick in 2013 and has some upside with the bat.

Eloy Jimenez went 9-27 at the dish with a double and 2 RBI.

Ian Happ went 6-23 with a home run and 3 RBI and he also walked 4 times and scored 7 runs. Happ has an OBP of .372 as of Sunday.

Oscar De La Cruz was brilliant his last time out, going 6 shutout innings and picking up the win versus Tri-City. The 20-year-old when 8-1 with 1.80 ERA in the DSL last season so he’s defintely someone to keep an eye on.

Justin Steele was very good again going 6 innings while allowing only the 1 run against Boise. Steele struck out 6 and walked none. On the season, he has tossed 11 innings of  run ball while striking out 15.

Andin Diaz was very strong, going 5.2 innings of shutout baseball his last time out. The left-hander struck out 4 and walked 2.

Hitter of the week: Ian Happ – 6-23, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 7 R

Pitcher of the week: Oscar De La Cruz –  1 GS, 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K (W)