While the big league team continued its struggles Saturday at Wrigley Field, several of the top prospects in the system put together good performances down on the farm.
Kris Bryant and Javier Baez did their jobs in Colorado while Kyle Schwarber smacked two home runs, including a Grand Slam, for Kane County. Arismendy Alcantara extended his hitting streak to seven games with another multi-hit performance. Albert Almora collected three hits and Dan Vogelbach went yard for Daytona.
With the Major League team being difficult to watch on a daily basis, the focus for the Chicago Cubs is on the minor leagues. And it is a narrative that will not change until the prospects are added to the big league roster and the Major League team starts performing better and winning ballgames on a consistent basis. There was a buzz Saturday around the Cubs that has been missing for quite some time with Dallas Beeler on the hill. And he delivered a very good outing while putting the team in position to win the game.
Dallas Beeler recorded a quality start, but more importantly, he looked like he belonged on the field.
When asked after the game about Kris Bryant and Javier Baez, Dallas Beeler was very complimentary of his Iowa Cubs teammates. Beeler told the beat writers, “They’re good and it’s fun to pitch behind them. Knowing they’re backing you up on the field and then at the plate. You never know when that magic will happen.”
Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak to seven games Saturday night with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Bryant collected three singles and in 10 games with Iowa he is batting .351/.429/.838. Bryant has hit three doubles, five home runs and has a 1.266 OPS.
For the season, Kris Bryant is hitting .354/.454/.719 in 78 games (Tennessee and Iowa) with 23 doubles, 27 home runs, 205 total bases and a 1.174 OPS. Entering play Saturday, Bryant was averaging a home run every 11 at bats this season.
Javier Baez
Javier Baez put together very good at bats Saturday night and he could be on his way to figuring things out at the Triple-A level. Baez has more walks (3) than strikeouts (2) in his last two games and has six free passes in his last 10 games with 11 strikeouts. Baez is 13-for-38 with three doubles in his last 10 games and is batting .342/.432/.421/.853.
Arismendy Alcantara
Arismendy Alcantara is making a case to be promoted to the big leagues. Alcantara extended his hitting streak to seven games Saturday night with a 2-for-4 night at the plate.
Arismendy Alcantara has eight multi-hit games in his last 10 and is up to .343/.391/.552 over his last 27 games with seven doubles, three triples, three home runs and a .944 OPS.
Albert Almora
Albert Almora went 3-for-5 with a RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base Saturday night. Almora’s eight game hitting streak ended Friday but he has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games. Almora appears to be figuring things out at the plate after a rough start.
Almora is 15-for-44 over his last 10 games (.341/.370/.432/.801) with a double, a home run, two walks and five strikeouts.
Dan Vogelbach
Dan Vogelbach went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI, a walk and two runs scored Saturday night. Vogelbach is hitting .385/.455/.744 (15-for-39) with five doubles, three home runs and a 1.198 OPS over his last 10 games.
Dan Vogelbach, like Josh Vitters, has quietly put together a very good month. Over his last 25 games, Vogelbach hit .315/.425/.562 with 10 doubles, four home runs, 16 walks, 15 strikeouts and a .986 OPS.
Kyle Schwarber
Kyle Schwarber had another impressive game Saturday night in Kane County’s 10-2 thumping of Beloit. Duane Underwood was the beneficiary of the offense while he allowed one run on two hits with three walks and five strikeouts in five innings.
Kyle Schwarber went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI. And his second home run of the game was a Grand Slam in the seventh inning. Schwarber hit third and caught for the Cougars.
In nine games for the Cougars, Schwarber is 14-for-30 with four doubles, four home runs, five walks and five strikeouts … .467/.556/1.000/1.556.
Kyle Schwarber has played 14 games in the Cubs system and is 26-for-50 with five doubles, one triple, eight home runs, seven walks, seven strikeouts and a .520/.583/1.140 slash line with a 1.723 OPS.