Kyle Schwarber is rather hot at the plate. A day after hitting his second Triple-A home run, Schwarber went yard on Wednesday night in Iowa’s 7-2 loss to Omaha.
Kyle Schwarber finished the game 1-for-4 with a home run and two strikeouts.
Over his last eight games, Schwarber is 13-for-29 with four doubles and two triples for a .448/.500/.793 slash line and a 1.293 OPS.
Kyle Schwarber is batting .351/.403/.667 in 16 games at the Triple-A level with seven doubles, a triple and three home runs for a 1.070 OPS. Schwarber has five walks and 20 strikeouts in 57 at bats.
With as much attention and time that is being spent on his defense it is good to see Kyle Schwarber is not letting it impact his offense.
Carlos Pimentel
RHP Carlos Pimentel was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Month for June on Monday. The Cubs Minor League Pitcher for the Month of June was 4-1 in five starts with a 0.95 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Pimentel gave up eight runs, three earned, on 19 hits with 14 walks and 22 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. Pimentel recorded four quality starts in five games.
Carlos Pimentel is the first I-Cubs’ player to win a PCL Player of the Month award since INF Marquez Smith in August 2010.
Pimentel, 25, is 6-4 in 16 games, 15 starts, for Iowa this season with a 3.05 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Pimentel has allowed 39 runs, 27 earned, on 62 hits with 40 walks and 74 strikeouts in 79 2/3 innings.
Baseball Prospectus Midseason Top 50
Baseball Prospectus released its midseason ranking of the top 50 prospects in baseball. And two of the Cubs top minor league players made its list.
C Kyle Schwarber checked in at No. 8 and SS Gleyber Torres just made the cut. Baseball Prospectus ranked Torres as the 50th best prospect in baseball.
Baseball America thinks a little more of the position players in the Cubs system. BA included Kyle Schwarber (6), SS Gleyber Torres (28) and OF Billy McKinney (30) in its midseason ranking of baseball’s top prospects.
Jeimer Candelario
3B Jeimer Candelario turned an excellent seven games in the Carolina League into a spot on MLB Pipeline’s Prospect Team of the Week.
Candelario batted .448/.484/.690 in seven games with three doubles, two triples, one walk, three strikeouts, eight runs scored and nine RBI. Candelario had two four-hit games and drove in three runs in two different games.
The switch-hitting 21-year old third baseman has really bounced back nicely this year from a disappointing 2014 season. Candelario has put up good numbers for High-A Myrtle Beach.
In 71 games, Jeimer Candelario has hit .281/.330/.434 with 21 doubles, three triples and five home runs for a .764 OPS. Candelario has walked 18 times with 55 strikeouts in 274 at bats.
P.J. Francescon
RHP P.J. Francescon was named the Southern League BC Powder Relief Pitcher of the Month for June.
Francescon, 26, did not allow an earned run over eight relief appearances and picked up four saves during the month. The right hander gave up five hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in eight innings (0.00 ERA, 1.13 WHIP).
For the season, Francescon is 2-0 in 26 games with a 0.59 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Francescon has allowed three runs, two earned, on 21 hits with 12 walks and 28 strikeouts. Francescon has given up two home runs in 30 2/3 innings.
Cubs Minor League News and Notes
• Baseball Prospectus looked into the future, about two years, at the day the Cubs call-up SS Gleyber Torres.
• The I-Cubs will be on National TV on July 16 against the Memphis Redbirds.
• Major League Baseball released the schedule for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. Kyle Schwarber and Carl Edwards Jr. are participating in the event that begins Sunday at 2:00pm CDT.