Cubs Den

Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Hearn goes deep twice, Nwogu, Warkentin once as Pelicans bust out for 15 runs; Triantos signs; Miller, Avelino, Maldonado, and Artis stay hot

MLB Draft

The Cubs signed 2nd round pick James Triantos yesterday, to a $2.1M bonus which eats up the final amount of the bonus money for this draft. It is still possible the Cubs can come to terms with 19th rounder RHP Daniel Avitia and/or 20th round LHP Wilson Cunningham for the maximum $125K bonus allowed in those rounds. We’ll see.

2nd-rder James Triantos signs w/@Cubs for $2.1 million (pick 56 value = $1,276,400). Virginia HS 3B, had late helium as @MLBDraft approached, upside of plus hitter w/possible power to match. North Carolina recruit.

— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB)

July 23, 2021

As for Triantos, I’m pretty excited about his bat. He takes an aggressive swing, getting his entire body involved, but it isn’t out of control. He isn’t hacking. Triantos does step in the bucket, which I wouldn’t mind seeing him work on, but at least in the prep ranks it hasn’t affected his ability to produce. He’s got emerging power and most exciting, Triantos was able to make contact at astounding rates, despite that aggressive swing.

There wasn’t as much hype around him as some guys who played more the last couple of years, but it is clear the Cubs are excited about his potential (2.1M is a big bonus, twice what Davis/Roederer/Strumpf got as recent 2nd rounders), and frankly so am I. There isn’t a ton of video available, especially on his defense, so I can’t give anything in depth yet, and he’s likely not to play outside Mesa the rest of this year, so we’ll have to rely on reports out of Arizona from other sources. He should open 2022 in Myrtle Beach though.

AAA

Columbus 4, Iowa 3

Top Performers

Abiatal Avelino: 2-4, 3B, RBI, SB (11) (.278)

Caleb Knight: 1-2, 2B, R, RBI, 2 BB (.333)
Ian Miller: 2-5, RBI (.279)
Alfonso Rivas: 1-3, BB (.276)

Joe Biagini: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K (5.09)
Matt Swarmer: 3 IP, 4 H, R, 0 BB, 0 K (7.41)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

I didn’t watch how he did, but I see you out in left field Alfonso Rivas (.276/.376/.437). I also see you threw a guy out. It was his 2nd start in LF this year, and 17th in his career between RF/LF. That skillset would greatly improve his odds of securing a future bench role.

I’ve been talking about him. At least a little. https://t.co/pKDrTluHRs

— Michael Ernst (@mj_ernst)

July 22, 2021

Miller has been hitting well for a while after a terrible first month.
Avelino had a good first month (.296), then cooled off (.186 in June), but has been red hot since June 30th (.400) https://t.co/ewMMHsz0A5

— Michael Ernst (@mj_ernst)

July 22, 2021

Rocket City 6, Tennessee 3

Top Performers

Christopher Morel: 2-4, 2B, R (.211)
Nelson Maldonado: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB (.294)

Edwin Figuera: 2-4, R (.360)
Darius Hill: 2-5, R (.278)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Keep doing your thing, Nelson Maldonado (.294/.375/.454). I’m still not sure it’s enough to get you a legitimate MLB shot given your defensive profile, but you are turning into a heck of a Minor League contributor with a chance at a long AAA career. And from there you are always just one step, one injury away from an opportunity in the bigs.

Edwin Figuera (.298/.365/.340) has been a slick Indy Ball signing for the Cubs thus far. The organization was desperate for middle infielders as injuries ravaged the position earlier this year. Since joining the org in June he’s contributed with the bat and glove. He mostly hits the ball on the ground, but enough of them have found holes, along with some line drives, at both Iowa and now Tennessee.

High-A

South Bend 6, Wisconsin 4

Top Performers

Dean Nevarez: 2-5, 2B, HR (1), R, 2 RBI (.400)

Jake Slaughter: 3-4, 2 RBI, HBP, CS (2) (.247)
Tyler Durna: 3-6, R, RBI (.250)
D.J. Artis: 2-4, R, 2 BB (.181)

Bryce Ball: 1-4, BB (.133)
Matteo Bocchi: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K (3.16)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Matteo Bocchi has proven a valuable org arm for the Cubs this season. Expected to eat up some innings in middle relief for South Bend at the beginning of the season, he got off to a good start, even heading up to Tennessee when injuries struck there to absorb some innings, and now back in South Bend he’s been forced into the rotation… and been pretty good. He changes speeds from a low arm angle making him tough for young hitters to get a read on him. I don’t see it playing higher up the ladder, but he’s been a bit of a savior in South Bend this season.

Catcher Dean Narvarez is a 24-year old former Mariners IFA signing out of Mexico, who found himself out of organized ball during 2020. The Cubs signed him to a Minor League deal earlier this month to provide depth after a couple of injuries at the position. He got into one AZL game, and now makes a nice first impression with South Bend as he clubbed a double and homer last night.

The Cubs didn’t give D.J. Artis (.179/.338/.366) the easiest assignments this season. He functioned as an org guy the first 6 weeks or so, bouncing between High-A, AA, and AAA, whenever injuries struck down a regular. He never received consistent at bats until the last few weeks as he’s finally settled into left field for South Bend and it has allowed him to find a groove. He’s hit .265/.405/.559 with an unexpected 3 home runs in July.

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 15, Charleston 1

Game Recap

recap

Top Performers

Ethan Hearn: 2-6, 2 HR (3, 4), 2 R, 2 RBI (.190)

Matt Warkentin: 3-5, HR (1), 3 R, 3 RBI (.207)
Jordan Nwogu: 3-6, 3B, HR (6), 2 R, 3 RBI (.200)
Ed Howard: 3-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB, 2 SB (4, 5) (.218)

Fabian Pertuz: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI (.207)
Pablo Aliendo: 1-3, 2B, 3 BB, R, SB (2) (.282)
Yohendrick Pinango: 2-6, 2 R (.259)

Didier Vargas: 6 IP, 5 H, R, 3 BB, 2 K (W, 4-2, 4.79)
Danis Correa: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K (2.50)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

We’ve seen flashes of power from Ethan Hearn (.190/.286/.349) throughout the season, and over the last month he has begun stringing together better at bats. This was the first time we’ve really seen it blend together in one game though as the young lefty swinger bashed a pair of homers. There’s no doubting he is a strong young man, as he’s also shown off an impressive arm behind the plate. I do have concern that his power is derived more so from strength than by bat speed, which keeps him lower on my prospect rankings, but Hearn has been solid behind the plate, which was a question in pre-draft scouting reports. I do think he will stick back there and not have to move to 1B, so that takes a lot of pressure off the bat. I wouldn’t expect him to hit for high averages, but a catch-and-throw guy with above average pop has use in the Majors.

“Hearn HR x 2.”

The Cubs’ No. 21 prospect goes yard twice for @Pelicanbaseball. pic.twitter.com/EUHtWIpuHa

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline)

July 23, 2021

A guy whose physical skills were never in doubt, but who similarly struggled through the opening stretch of the season is 2020 3rd rounder Jordan Nwogu (.200/.298/.373). He was all out of sorts at the plate, with his timing off by horrendous amounts the first month (it seriously looked like his bat was coming through the zone as the ball was hitting the catcher’s glove). He’s slowly rounded into form after getting a few weeks off to retool, grinding his way back toward the Mendoza Line.

Cubs OF Jordan Nwogu’s power surge in the month of July continues. Goes with this one for an oppo pic.twitter.com/gHmrgR8s76

— Trevor Hooth (@HoothTrevor)

July 22, 2021

He finally made it last night thanks to a three hit game. One of those hits was a homer as part of back-to-back action with Hearn to kick off the Pelicans scoring outburst in the 2nd inning. As long as he stays on time with his swing and gets enough loft, I don’t question whether Nwogu’s power will translate. He is not only as strong as just about anyone in the system, but he has the bat speed to match. His exit velos are noticeably higher than other players without needing to check the data. As an added bonus, Nwogu has unexpectedly been able to man CF, and hasn’t looked out of place out there. I’m not sure it is a long term fit, but it is nice to know it is in his tool kit. You know how I feel about RH COFs.

This ball went 440 to dead central.

Big boy blast from @Warkentin18.

Crack of the Bat Play of the Game presented by @VinesPlumbingSC pic.twitter.com/lGPKgUFkUo

— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball)

July 23, 2021

Not to be overlooked amid the power outburst by Hearn, Nwogu and Matt Warkentin, is the all around offensive game turned in by Ed Howard (.218/.263/.299). Three hits, including a double, with 3 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. The numbers still don’t look great, but he was another guy who the rust was apparent at the beginning of the season, and his lack of experience certainly played a roll too.

Pablo Aliendo (.282/.389/.444) quietly reached base 4 times (double and 3 walks, plus a stolen base). He’s been beginning to show more patience at the plate of late, a good sign for him.

I’m not sure how relatively soft tossing Didier Vargas does it sometimes, other than being your quintessential crafty lefty.

Keep an eye on reliever Danis Correa (18 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 9 BB, 28) though. He’s pretty small (sub 6’0″ RHP), but he’s always had an electric arm capable of touching the upper-90s. Injuries have held him back in previous seasons, but he’s been healthy in 2021, and he’s starting to improve his breaking ball while throwing a decent amount of strikes. The 21-year old could receive a promotion to South Bend as a couple of college pitchers from the draft get ramped up. Have I mentioned the Cubs suddenly have a ton of hard throwing relief prospects this year?

AZL

Rockies 18, Cubs 2

Top Performers