Cubs Minor League Daily: Happ Promoted, Cease Excellent, Hannemann and Jimenez Homer

Yesterday was pretty crazy on the minor league side. There were a lot of potential headlines, so we’ll just lead with them all.

First, Ian Happ got the call to Tennessee. I’m going to wait a few days before unpacking the chain reactions that came as a result of this, largely because I don’t think that chain is over yet. There were a lot of other players moving around the minors, and I think there will be more in the days to come. Once the dust has settled we’ll get into who is where, what that means, and so forth.

Second, Jacob Hannemann continued his breakout campaign by homering twice and stealing another base. He’s now in double digits in both categories, and his peripherals look pretty good, too. He’s also an incredible defensive outfielder. Anyone still sleeping on Hannemann as a prospect should probably take a closer look.

Third, hard-throwing right hander Dylan Cease put together a very nice start for Eugene, maintaining 98 MPH late into his four inning appearance and throwing a mix of four pitches.

And finally, Eloy Jimenez piled up six total bases in a single inning as South Bend erupted in the eighth to score all the runs they possibly could (ten, in this case). The story of the first half of the minor league season was the major breakout started by Jimenez, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be stopping anytime soon.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 3, Nashville 0
Nashville 7, Iowa 4
The pitching in Game One was particularly encouraging for those looking around for possible help for Chicago’s bullpen.

• Aaron Brooks: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 K
• Dallas Beeler: 1 IP, 1H, 2 K
• Miguel Mejia: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K
• Corey Black: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
• Mark Zagunis: 1 for 3, 2B
• Dan Vogelbach: 1 for 2, 2B, BB
• Juan Perez: 1 for 3, 2B
• Munenori Kawasaki: 2 for 3
• Game Two Below
• Giovanni Soto: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K
• John Andreoli: 1 for 3, 2B, BB, SB
• Matt Murton: 2 for 3
• Jeimer Candelario: 2 for 3
• Vimael Machin: 1 for 1, 2 BB

Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Pensacola 6, Tennessee 4
Not the best way to start the second half.

• Joe Nathan: 1 IP, 2 K. He could help out the Cubs in the second half.
• David Berg: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K. After a rough start in Double A, his ERA is down to 3.63.
• Jacob Hannemann: 2 for 4, 2 HR, SB. That’s 10 homers and 24 steals.
• Chesny Young: 2 for 4
• Billy McKinney: 1 for 3, 2B, BB
• Ian Happ: 0 for 0, BB. Welcome to Double A.

High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Carolina 2, Myrtle Beach 1
The Pelicans lost the first game of the post-Happ era.

• Jonathan Martinez: 7.1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 8 K
• Jordan Minch: 1.2 IP, 2 K
• Gleyber Torres: 2 for 4
• Daniel Spingola: 1 for 3, 2B
• Charcer Burks: 2 for 3, 2B

Low A: South Bend Cubs
South Bend 11, Dayton 1
A ten run eighth inning made for a stress free ninth.

• Ryan Kellogg: 6 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K
• Greyfer Eregua: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K
• Carlos Sepulveda: 2 for 5, 3B, BB
• P.J. Higgins: 2 for 5, 2B
• Ian Rice: 1 for 2, 3 BB
• Eloy Jimenez: 2 for 5, 2B, HR. Both hits came in that huge eighth inning.
• Josh Silver: 2 for 2, 2B, 3 BB
• Bryant Flete: 2 for 4, 2B

Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Spokane 11, Eugene 9
The Emeralds allowed eight runs in the fifth and could not quite make up for it.

• Dylan Cease: 4 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 7 K
• Andruw Monasterio: 3 for 5
• Kevonte Mitchell: 1 for 5, 2B
• Matt Rose: 1 for 3, 2B
• Wladimir Galindo: 2 for 5
• Chris Pieters: 1 for 4, BB, 2 SB
• Marcus Mastrobuoni: 1 for 5, 2B
• Yeiler Peguero: 3 for 4, BB
• Robert Garcia: 2 for 5, 3B

Rookie: Arizona Cubs
Diamondbacks 12, Cubs 6
The game started at seven in the evening, and the game time temperature was still over one hundred degrees.

• Aaron Crow: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
• Luis Ayala: 2 for 5, 3B
• Reuben Reyes: 1 for 3, 2B, BB

Other Notes

• Vogelbach left the first game of the doubleheader early for a pinch runner, but he was back as DH for the second game.
• A few more numbers on Hannemann: going into yesterday’s game he had a walk rate of 7.9% and a strikeout rate of just 16.8% (career low). His BABIP is low (.261, normally he’s about a .300 guy), and that has resulted in a lowish overall line of .239/.316/.420. I like the peripheral’s, though, and I’m not too concerned. He’s been in Double A for almost 180 games now, so hopefully he’ll be due for a trip to Iowa soon.
• The Cubs are staying paired up with the South Bend Cubs through 2020:

BREAKING: Chicago Cubs Ink New Deal with South Bend Cubs. PDC extended through 2020 https://t.co/QQ2sGTVEie #Cubs pic.twitter.com/mIViR3woa5

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) June 23, 2016

• Myrtle Beach had some pretty good pitching yesterday, and that comes through clearly in the highlights.