Week 10 saw some Cubs prospects in the Futures Game making noise, more rain than last week, a no-hitter, and some exciting finishes! Here's your Cubs' Minor League action for this week:
AAA - Iowa Cubs
Iowa split their series with the St. Paul Saints. The Cubs dropped 9 straight to St. Paul in Iowa (swept May 25-30) before a 15-2 victory on Friday and then a double header on Sunday that featured two walk offs and a no-hitter.
Alfonso Rivas continues his hot streak and continues to impress. Rivas went 7 for 18 with 1 HR 2 2B and 5 RBI. Rivas is turning heads in Iowa and could be a late season addition to Chicago, especially if Anthony Rizzo is moved in July. After a slow start in June, Rivas is slashing .361/.410/.667 in July with 3 homeruns and 12 RBI.
Tyler Ladendorf put together one of the best weeks of his professional career. Ladendorf went 7 for 20 with 1 HR and 5 RBI
Justin Steele had two outings as the Cubs try to stretch him out for a starting role. Steele threw 6.1 Innings 2 H 1 R 4 BB 6 K's including 3.2 innings of no hit baseball on Sunday.
Scott Effross had 2.2 innings of perfect baseball striking out 4 and Trevor Megill had 2 innings of perfect baseball striking out 5 of the 6 batters he faced.
Ben Leeper, Dakota Mekkes, and Manny Rodriguez continued to impress with scoreless innings of relief.
Manny Rodriguez had a hitless inning in the Futures game with 1 BB and 1 K. His sinker was hitting 99 mph and he could be a guy that sees time in Chicago this year.
Justin Steele, Scott Effross, and Dillon Maples combined for a 7 inning no-hitter on Sunday
Iowa Cubs Player of the Week: Alfonso Rivas
AA - Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee won 3 of 4 in a rain shortened series. Strong offensive performances Wednesday Thursday and Friday helped propel the Smokies to a series win over the Chattanooga Lookouts
Brennen Davis demonstrated why he is the #2 Cubs prospect (he's #1 on my board) by going 7 for 15, 3 2B 1 HR 6 RBI in 4 games. Plus July 11th will forever be Brennen Davis day, but more on that later
Darius Hill had a strong week going 6 for 17 with a homerun
Nelson Maldonado has folks excited. Maldonado went 4 for 12 with 2 2B 1 3B 1 HR. After a strong June (.308/.386/.487) Maldonado is slashing .348/.400/.652 in July.
Dakota "Super Nintendo" Chalmers had a strong start going 4 innings with 1 H 3 BB and 5 K's
Ethan Roberts and Cayne Ueckert both with 2 innings of relief without allowing a run. Roberts did not allow a hit and Ueckert allowed only 1 hit. Ethan Roberts threw 11.2 innings last month allowing only 1 R on 4 H and continues his success in July with 3 innings of perfect baseball and 7 K's.
Luis Lugo had a perfect 3 innings in relief striking out 3
Tennessee Smokies Player of the Week: Brennen Davis
High-A - South Bend Cubs
South Bend took 4 of 6 against the Beloit Snappers this week. This was also Ryan Reynolds' first week in High-A
Delvin Zinn had perhaps his best week of the year going 11 for 26 with 1 HR and 2 SB giving him 33 for the year, 1 behind the league leader (Max Shuemann with 34).
Josue Huma went 7 for 16 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI
Jake Slaughter went 6 for 15 with 1 HR and 6 RBI in 4 games
Nelson Velazquez went 8 for 26 with 1 HR 4 RBI and 2 SB. Velazquez could be knocking on Tennessee's door soon as he's slashing .341/.383/.614 with 3 HR this month.
Derek Casey dominated in his one start going 5.2 innings 2 H 0 R and 10 K's before leaving the game in the 6th with an apparent finger injury that landed him on the IL.
Tyler Suellentrop had 4.1 innings of relief allowing only 1 hit 1 BB and striking out 5
Hunter Bigge, Graham Lawson, and Eury Ramos all had strong relief appearances going 2 innings each without allowing a run.
South Bend Player of the Week: Delvin Zinn
Low-A - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Pelicans had a tough week this week dropping 4 out of 6 to the Augusta Green Jackets. The Pelicans had a tough time offensively this week and had very few solid pitching performances as well. It was a tough week all around
Jonathan Sierra was the only real bright spot offensively for the Pelicans this week going 6 for 16 with 1 2B 1 3B and 2 RBI.
Jordan Nwogu went yard twice and Matt Mervis, Pablo Aliendo, Jacob Wetzel, and Flemin Bautista each hit 1 homerun.
Jeremiah Estrada made his much anticipated first start of 2021. Estrada went 5 innings and struck out 8 while giving up 4 unearned runs.
Jarod Wright had 6.1 innings of relief giving up only 1 run on 1 hit and struck out 5.
Alberto Sojo had 3.1 innings of relief allowing 0 hits and striking out 5.
Bailey Reid and Danis Correa both had 2 innings of shutout relief.
Myrtle Beach Player of the Week: Jonathan Sierra
MiLB Futures Game
Brennen Davis - 2 for 3 2 Homeruns 2 RBI. Brennen won the Futures game MVP for his performance
Manny Rodriguez - 1 IP 0 H 1 BB 1 K
Cubs Affiliate Player of the Week: Brennen Davis (7 for 15 1 HR 6 RBI 1 SB. Futures Game MVP 2 for 3 2 HRs 2 RBI)