Five Stars of Cub Farm, 5/4/21, MiLB Opening Day: Biagini, Remy, Strumpf, Wilson, Zinn

You all know how excited I’ve been for Minor League Opening Day, but would you believe it if I told you I chose to play tennis instead of watching the games live last night? And I’ll tell you why: I found out Monday that my favorite coach from growing up, Tony, had passed away recently. And I just needed to play, if that makes any sense.

Tony was my coach from ages 12-18, and while he did make me a whole lot better at the sport, I look back and realize he mostly taught me to have confidence. It’s been a long time since we last spoke, and while in these situations you always wish you’d had that one good last conversation, I also know that my relationship with him wasn’t unique. He impacted dozens of west suburban kids as much as he did me. RIP, Tone.

To bring it back to baseball here, we talk a lot about the investments the Cubs have made in their technology infrastructures as it relates to player development. I haven’t talked enough, I don’t think, about the investments the Cubs have made in finding the right coaches. Excited to hear the impact that those names have on guys as they finally again have the ability to provide in-person instruction. And any of us that have played sports know the difference the right coach can make on the field.

Okay, let’s talk our first Opening Day in a very long time.

Honorable Mention: Ed Howard’s Glove

https://twitter.com/RealCubsAnalyst/status/1389729626730246150

Five: Joe Biagini

Somehow the Iowa roster was decimated before the first game even began yesterday, with two hitters out for personal reasons and a flurry of morning transactions at the Major League level. Enter 30-year-old Joe Biagini, signed this offseason to compete in the bullpen mix, who hadn’t started a game in nearly three years. He goes down with an Opening Day loss, as the I-Cubs offense was completely overwhelmed by Chase De Jong, but I had to give Biagini a spot here due to a ridiculous entry in the box score: 16 groundouts versus zero fly outs! This is a guy with an above-average career 51.2 GB%, but that’s not such an absurd number than you expect all those worm burners on day one. After hits to four of the first six hitters of the game, Biagini really settled in, and most importantly ate six innings for manager Marty Pevey.

Four: Peyton Remy

Remy wasn’t at his absolute sharpest with the fastball command (a good number of two seamers running to the middle of the plate), but generally hitters didn’t make him pay, and the changeup has really become the go-to secondary. It was average fade and plus sink and was responsible for at least half of the 12 swings and misses he earned. He’s still got the big, looping slow curveball (think Hendricks’ breaker) as a third pitch. I think the goal here is to see Remy earn the promotion to Double-A, and then see how the stuff works against hitters of that caliber. Because it’s worked against all the hitters the Cubs have put in front of him so far.

Three, Two, One: Chase Strumpf, D.J. Wilson, Delvin Zinn

The lone win in the farm system tonight came in South Bend, and it was the bats that led them there. I gave Delvin Zinn the nod for the top spot thanks to his work in the clutch, giving the SB Cubs a lead in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly, and then notching the game-winning hit with an eighth-inning double. Delvin, soon 24, is a utility man who gets high marks from managers for the energy he brings to a club. He’s a really good contact hitter, a plus runner, and can play all over the field. I want that guy around.

D.J. Wilson goes down as the only Cubs minor leaguer with two extra-base hits on Opening Day, one a squib down the left field line and another a deep shot to right-center. Wilson, 24, has plenty of tools, but strikeouts and injuries have always held him back since he was an over-slot signing in 2015.

Let’s talk Chase Strumpf at-bats for a minute. First inning, Strumpf shows a willingness to go to the opposite field on a middle-out fastball that goes down as a fly out. In the fourth, Strumpf hammered a second-pitch meatball into the left field corner for a double. In the sixth he worked a beautiful six-pitch walk against a right-handed reliever. In the seventh, Strumpf smoked a low-middle fastball towards the right-center gap, but was held to a single. And finally in the eighth, Strumpf made his second out of the game against a funky Quad Cities reliever popping up a low-inside fastball into short right field. I guess what I’m saying is that as far as first impressions go, Strumpf’s was that he’s probably too good for this level. But fair warning: that might also be my own confirmation bias at play.

Box Scores

Iowa 0, Indianapolis 3

Tennessee: Postponed

South Bend 7, Quad City 4

Myrtle Beach 3, Charleston 6

Special shoutouts: Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele

Homegrown Cubs pitchers book-ending a Cubs win over the World Champs. Boy does that sound good to say.

We can talk about Keegan’s cutter and Steele’s backdoor curveball another time, I’d prefer to just let the emotion of the moment be the analysis for now:

https://twitter.com/Michael_Cerami/status/1389781676767727619

[Meta: For those of you that have followed me on Twitter for a long time, you might remember I ranked the Five Stars of the Cubs farm system pretty much every night of the 2018 and 2019 minor league seasons. Given the heightened importance of the 2021 minor league season for the Cubs organization, and the feedback the BN readers gave in my 2019 coverage, my plan is to adopt that format for blog posts like this a few times a week. It’s no Luke Blaize Minor League Daily – I just don’t have that stamina! – but we think it’s a good middle ground. Thanks for reading.]

written by

Bryan Smith is a Minor League Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @cubprospects.

more cubs news

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...

WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

Latest News

Braves vs. Phillies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

Spencer Strider will take the ball for the Atlanta Braves when they take on starter Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.If you're trying to watch this game,...

Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The New Orleans Pelicans face the Milwaukee Bucks at 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this matchup requires only one trifecta from Jonas Valančiūnas.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the BucksJonas Valanciunas' over/under...

Top 25 College Basketball Picks and Best Bets: March 28

The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa State Cyclones hit the court in one of four games on the college basketball slate on Thursday that include a ranked team.How to Bet on Top 25 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Top 25 Games for...

What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Arizona Diamondbacks begin their season as -226 favorites in a home tilt against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on ARID.Arizona's Zac Gallen gets the start, and he'll go against Colorado's Kyle Freeland.Diamondbacks vs. Rockies...

Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Seattle Mariners begin their season as -155 favorites in a home tilt against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on NESN.Luis Castillo takes the mound for Seattle while Brayan Bello is Boston's starter for...

Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Cleveland Guardians start their season as road favorites (-156) in a matchup with the Oakland Athletics on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET, live on NBCS-CA from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.Cleveland's Shane Bieber and Oakland's Alex Wood have been named the...

Damian Lillard Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Milwaukee Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, and if the Bucks' Damian Lillard drains four 3-pointers, he'll beat his over/under.Damian Lillard's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansDamian Lillard's over/under for three-pointers in this...

Brook Lopez Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Milwaukee Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this matchup requires two trifectas from Brook Lopez.Brook Lopez's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansBrook Lopez's over/under for...

Giannis Antetokounmpo Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

On Thursday at 8:00 PM ET, the Milwaukee Bucks meet the New Orleans Pelicans, and Giannis Antetokounmpo's 3-pointer prop for this clash requires just one trey.Giannis Antetokounmpo's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansGiannis Antetokounmpo's over/under for three-pointers in this game:...

more cubs news