Cubs Minor League Daily: Checking In On Donnie Dewees

June 29, 2016, by Luke Blaize Chicago Cubs

Earlier in the season there were a lot of questions wondering when Donnie Dewees would be jumped up to Myrtle Beach, and given that he hit .345/.394/.583 it was understandable to think he needed the challenge. He has greatly cooled down since then, though, or the league has adjusted (depending on your viewpoint I suppose). In May he managed an OPS of just .632, and in June it has dropped to .616. This is a pretty good example of why the Cubs don’t necessarily rush prospects up the system based on success. Sometimes it pays to see if that success is going to be sustained first.

Even though his numbers are down, don’t worry about Dewees as a prospect just yet. Slumps, adjustments, and other factors that can lead to a period of depressed stats are perfectly normal. This just gives a chance to see how he rebounds, and perhaps to then compare what he was doing before and after the rebound to see if he made any visible adjustments. Given what I’ve seen so far, I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t turn that declining OPS trend around before the end of the season.

Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 3, Oklahoma City 2
The pitching arrangement was a bit of an odd one, but it worked.

Clayton Richard: 1 IP, 2 K. He pitched the first on a rehab ‘start’.
Aaron Brooks: 4 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 K
Armando Rivero: 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Matt Murton: 2 for 4, 2B
David Freitas: 2 for 4

Double A: Tennessee Smokies

The Smokies had the day off.

High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Salem 5, Myrtle Beach 3
Salem 7, Myrtle Beach 6
This doubleheader sweep sends the Pelicans back to .500 on the season.

Trevor Clifton: 5 IP, 5 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Charcer Burks: 2 for 3, 2B, BB, SB
Ian Rice: 2 for 3, 2 2B, BB
Yasiel Balaguert: 1 for 3, 2B
David Bote: 2 for 3, 2 2B
Game Two
Zach Hedges: 6.1 IP, 7 R (3 ER), 8 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Charcer Burks: 1 for 3, BB, 2 SB. He’s up to fourteen total steals.
Gleyber Torres: 1 for 3, BB
Jason Vosler: 1 for 3, 2B
Yasiel Balaguert: 1 for 4, HR. Balaguert now has ten homers.
Daniel Spingola: 1 for 3, 2B
Erick Castillo: 2 for 3

Low A: South Bend Cubs
South Bend 3, Lake County 0
Some days all you really need is pitching.

Carson Sands: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Scott Effross: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Tyler Alamo: 1 for 2, HR, BB
Adonis Paula: 1 for 3, HR

Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Boise 16, Eugene 6
This game saw a five, a four, and a ten run inning. Only the five was Eugene’s.

Pedro Silverio: 3.2 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 4 BB, 2 K
D.J. Wilson: 1 for 4, 3B, BB
Jose Paniagua: 2 for 4, 2B, 3B
Chris Pieters: 2 for 4. He also cut down a runner at home.
Wladimir Galindo: 2 for 4, 2B, 3B

Rookie: Arizona Cubs
Cubs 5, Giants 1
The Cubs took a first inning lead and never looked back.

Junior Marte: 3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Jack Leathersich: 1 IP, 1 K
Eugenio Palma: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Gustavo Polanco: 2 for 4
Jhonny Pereda: 2 for 3
Michael Cruz: 2 for 3
Zack Short: 1 for 1, 3 BB

Other Notes

If you missed it yesterday, Jeimer Candelario and Eloy Jimenez will be playing in the Futures Game. Believe it or not, Jimenez will not be the youngest player on his team (Josh Naylor in the Miami system was born in 1997, Jimenez in 1996), but he is one of just three Low A players to make it onto the World Team.
The Eugene game featured a 13 MPH wind blowing left to right. That probably had a little to do with the inflated score.
Fun set of highlights from South Bend yesterday: