Cubs Minor League Daily: A Tale of Two Stories

jorge soler cubsThere were two stories in the Cubs farm system yesterday that, on the surface anyway, could be considered candidates to be the headliner for the Daily. Only one was actually a significant story.

The true headliner from yesterday was the absolute gem of a game tossed by Kyle Hendricks in Tennessee. In Game Two of the doubleheader Hendricks took a no hitter into the sixth inning and finished with the nice line of 6 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 8K. For the season Hendricks has 23 Ks in 26 innings.

Hendricks, who came over with Christian Villanueva in the Ryan Dempster deal last year, was frequently overlooked during the off season prospect ranking season (I know I overlooked him), but he is rapidly emerging as a pitching prospect we cannot ignore. It is too early to start tossing around the “Breakout” label, but I will say his early season reminds quite a bit of the spring Robert Whitenack had a few years ago. If I were to redo my Top 40 today, Hendricks would be on it. I’m not sure where he would be on it, but he would be on it.

Scores From Yesterday

Iowa – The wind was blowing out to left, and the run total shows it. The Cubs lost this slugfest 10-9.
Tennessee – Pitching was on display all day in the Smokies. Tennessee lost Game One 3-0, but won the nightcap by the exact same score.
Daytona – The rains arrived in Daytona, but only after enough ball had been played to secure Daytona a 2-1 win.
Kane County – Kane County also had a doubleheader on Monday, but they dropped both games. The final in Game One was 7-6, and Game Two ended 4-2.

Performances of Note

  • [Iowa] Logan Watkins had another Logan Watkins kind of game. He reached three times on two hits and a walk. Brad Nelson and Ryan Sweeney also enjoyed multi-hit games.
  • [Iowa] Brett Jackson‘s home run meant this was his third straight game with an extra base hit. On the downside, he had two more strikeouts.
  • [Iowa] Despite the wild conditions, Blake Parker was able to strike out two as part of a hitless ninth.
  • [Tennessee] Hendricks gets the headlines for his pitching gem (and rightfully so), but don’t loose track of the other hero in that game. Jae-Hoon Ha sent fans home happy with a two out, three run blast in the bottom of the seventh. It was his first home run of the year.
  • [Tennessee] Tony Zych and Frank Batista both pitched well in relief in Game One. That is bad news for the rest of the Southern League. Once Tennessee irons out their bullpen issues, their one Achilles heel will be pretty much gone.
  • [Daytona] Dustin Geiger hit his third home run of the year for half the Cubs scoring, and John Andreoli knocked in the go ahead run in the bottom of the eighth.
  • [Daytona] Keep an eye on Yeiper Castillo. He struck out eight in four innings of work in his first start of the season.
  • [Kane County] With a home run in both games Daniel Vogelbach raised his season total to four. Rock Shoulders also went long; it was his fifth of year.
  • [Kane County] Michael Heesch struck out seven in five innings in Game Two of the twin bill, but he also coughed up six hits and a walk.
  • Other News

  • Yes, Jorge Soler was benched as a disciplinary measure. As Brett indicated, though, there really is not much of a story here.* Players, even the highest rank of prospects, get benched in the minors just like anyone else when they deserve it. This does not mean that Soler is a bad person, a failed prospect, an expensive mistake, an irresponsible player, is too lazy to succeed, is too emotional to succeed, should be traded, will definitely be traded, or any of the other over reactions that, while perhaps understandable, really have no place in the conversation. It means he is a young baseball player in the minor leagues and, like any other young player, he has some work to do. It means that the Cubs have an organization that is going to do the best it can to make sure he, just like any other prospect, becomes as good as he can be. That’s pretty much it. This probably won’t be the last time he is benched, and he won’t be the only highly touted prospect in the organization (not to mention all the other organizations in the game) to be benched. I know it makes a juicier to story to spin it into a potential catastrophe or to paint Soler as a flawed personality on the edge of a spectacular flame out, but there really is nothing here. Prospects get benched. It happens. This just happens to be one of the very, very few cases where someone writes about it.
  • *[Brett: As it relates to Soler, specifically, I totally agree. It’s a non-story. As it relates to The Cubs Way, and sending the right messages to your young players, it’s a great story. But that’s not what Luke’s talking about.]
  • written by

    Luke Blaize is the Minor League Editor at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @ltblaize.

    more cubs news

    CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury (UPDATES)

    Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    Latest News

    Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Friday, Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) face Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (1-0), with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 PM ET at Minute Maid Park.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to...

    Rays vs. Blue Jays: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Tampa Bay square off against Toronto live.When...

    CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury (UPDATES)

    Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

    Heat vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) are heavy underdogs (+14.5) as they attempt to break an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena. The matchup airs...

    Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) take the court against the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) as 7.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 210 points.Cavaliers vs. 76ers OddsCavaliers odds to win:...

    Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The New York Knicks (44-28) are heavily favored (-10) to continue a three-game winning streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center. The contest airs on BSSW....

    Wizards vs. Pistons Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are 2.5-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Capital One Arena. The matchup airs at 7:00 PM ET...

    Pacers vs. Lakers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they hit the road to play the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as just 2.5-point underdogs. The game airs at...

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Western's top two teams, the Denver Nuggets (51-22) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22), hit the court at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The Nuggets are favored by 6.5 points at home....

    Warriors vs. Hornets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Golden State Warriors (38-34) play the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The over/under is set at 218 in the matchup.Warriors vs. Hornets OddsWarriors odds to win:...

    more cubs news