If you’re just joining us, I recap the Cubs’ minor league affiliates every night. My aim is to weave together the stories of the players with the stats that back them up. I want to shine a light on those top prospects who are really making a name for themselves—and give credit where credit is due to every player who puts in the work to make it to the majors.
A quick note: you can find me on Bluesky at @joshftimmers.bsky.social for updates. I’ve actually scaled back my social media presence quite a bit. I still use that other site (you know the one) for breaking news, but only when I really need to. I don’t think it’s the same under new ownership.
Let’s get into how the Cubs’ minor league teams did on Opening Night.
Iowa Cubs: Rain Interrupts Action
The Iowa Cubs and Indianapolis Indians were locked in a 3-3 tie when Mother Nature decided to make her presence felt. That was when the game was suspended due to rain. Tomorrow, we’ll see the game resume at 5:00 pm Eastern—before the regularly scheduled matchup begins at 6:35 pm Eastern.
We’ll have more details after the game is over. Stay tuned for those updates.
Knoxville Smokies: A Tale of Two Innings
The Knoxville Smokies fell to the Birmingham Barons (White Sox) by a score of 6-4. That was largely thanks to a seventh-inning bullpen collapse.
That collapse started with a solid foundation laid by starter Will Sanders. He gave up just one run on five hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out two. That set the stage for what could have been a Smokies win.
But relief pitcher Cayne Ueckert struggled mightily in the seventh inning. He failed to retire a single batter. He gave up singles, walks and a triple that scored two runs. Ueckert’s final line: five runs allowed without recording an out. That really inflated his ERA.
Third baseman Pedro Ramirez had a strong game despite the loss. He went 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the third inning and scored a run earlier in the second. Left fielder Jordan Nwogu contributed too, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the second inning.
The Seventh Inning
That seventh inning was where things really fell apart for the Smokies. Starter Will Sanders had handed the ball off to Cayne Ueckert with a one-run lead. Ueckert just couldn’t close the deal.
The Bright Spots
Pedro Ramirez and Jordan Nwogu were two of the Smokies’ brightest spots in an otherwise tough game. Both had multi-hit games and drove in runs.
South Bend Cubs: Tough Loss Against Beloit
The South Bend Cubs suffered a tough 7-0 loss to the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins). That was a long, hard outing for the Cubs.
Pitching Performance
Jaxon Wiggins started on the mound and pitched admirably through 3.1 innings. He gave up two runs—one earned—on three hits. Wiggins struck out four but walked three and threw 65 pitches. Of those, 35 were strikes. That’s a good ratio.
In the eighth, things fell apart for the Cubs’ relief pitchers. Yovanny Cabrera let three runs in on one hit and two walks over 1.2 innings. Angel Hernandez didn’t fare much better. He allowed two runs—and inherited runners—in just a third of an inning.
Offense Struggles
The Cubs managed just four hits—all singles. That’s not a lot of offense. One of the few bright spots was catcher Ariel Armas. He went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Dominant Debut Performance
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans made a statement in their season opener against the Charleston RiverDogs (Rays). A 13-2 victory was the result of some truly impressive debuts. And what debuts they were.
Pitching Highlights
Evan Aschenbeck, the 13th-round pick from last year, pitched like a pro from the get-go. Over four innings, he gave up just one unearned run on three hits. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a single batter.
Cole Reynolds, another pro debutant, earned the win by throwing two scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit, walked one and fanned three.
Explosive Offense
That lineup, though, was the real star of the show. Several players really stood out.
- Jose Escobar, the right fielder, was named Player of the Game. He went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and a two-run homer in the ninth. That was the icing on the cake.
- Matt Halbach, the 10th-round pick who made his pro debut, homered and finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Michael Carico, the catcher, went 2-for-4 with a walk. He contributed a two-run double in the seventh and drove in three runs total.
- Cole Mathis, the designated hitter, didn’t get a hit. But he drew four walks and scored three runs. That’s the kind of patience you want to see from your hitters.
Leave a Reply