Cubs Minor League Daily: Three Doubles for Torres, Another Homer for Contreras (VIDEO)

Gleyber Torres is having no trouble with Carolina League pitching right now. He pushed his current hitting streak to seven games with a three doubles performance that matched his season high total base count with six. During this seven game hitting streak he has struck out a grand total of four times, walked four times, and, including yesterday’s doubles and a home run earlier in the week, has four extra base hits. His season line now reads .265/.339/.449, and it is continuing to trend upwards. I still don’t think the Cubs should be in any hurry to promote him, but right now he is making the game look easy.

As is Willson Contreras. The Iowa catcher pushed his consecutive games with an extra base hit streak to nine with his ninth homer of the season last night. His hitting streak is up to twelve games. In that twelve game streak he has eleven strikeouts, six walks, four doubles, a triple, and six homers. Right now Contreras is simply one of the hottest hitters in baseball, at any level.

I don’t think the Cubs should be in a hurry to promote Contreras either, but should Miguel Montero or David Ross need a trip to the DL, I have no problems with the Cubs bringing Contreras to Wrigley for a couple of weeks. Even though he wouldn’t catch every day, the reality check of how his game stands in comparison to major league players could pay off in the long run. Hopefully Montero and Ross stay healthy and it never becomes necessary, but it is good know the Cubs have a good hitting catcher prospect that could turn such an event into a sort of a good thing, should the Cubs opt to go in that direction.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 7, Oklahoma City 5
The Iowa Cubs have won seven in a row and are tied for first.

• Rob Zastryzny: 5.1 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K
• Dallas Beeler: 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H
• Arismendy Alcantara: 2 for 4, 2B, BB
• Willson Contreras: 1 for 4, HR, BB.
• Dan Vogelbach: 2 for 4, 2B
• Albert Almora: 2 for 3

Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Jackson 2, Tennessee 1
Most of the time, this was a pretty well pitched game.

• Tyler Skulina: 4 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 6 BB, 3 K
• Starlin Peralta: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB
• David Garner: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 K
• Jacob Hannemann: 1 for 4, 2B
• Mark Zagunis: 1 for 4, 2B
• Cael Brockmeyer: 2 for 3, 2B

High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Salem 11, Myrtle Beach 10
The box score says there wasn’t much wind. I’m not sure I believe that.

• Jonathan Martinez: 4.2 IP, 7 R, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K
• Daury Torrez: 2 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 1 BB
• Gleyber Torres: 3 for 4, 3 2B, BB. This was one of the best hitting games of his career.
• Jason Vosler: 3 for 5, 2 2B
• Gioskar Amaya: 3 for 5, 2B, 3B

Low A: South Bend Cubs
West Michigan 2, South Bend 1
It is tough to win close games when you commit four errors.

• Preston Morrison: 6 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 4 H, 4 K
• Kyle Miller: 2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 K
• Greyfer Eregua: 1 IP, 1 K
• Donnie Dewees: 1 for 4, 2B

Other Notes

• Dallas Beeler was expected to be part of the pitching picture for the Chicago Cubs this season, if only as extra depth stashed in Iowa, but an early elbow strain has kept him on the disabled list all season. Yesterday he was assigned to Iowa as part of a rehab assignment. After his rehab time comes to an end, I suspect the Cubs will look to keep him in Iowa as insurance against an injury to a pitcher in Chicago.
• Mark Zagunis has been showing some power lately, including this home run from Thursday.
• And Contreras’s homer from last night: