The Triple-A bats really showed out in this one, as the Cubs beat the Padres 5-4 on the strength of homers from Brennen Davis (an oppo rocket), Alfonso Rivas, and Jared Young.
Rivas is likely to open the season at Triple-A Iowa despite having a bat that is probably ready to contribute off the bench in the big leagues. But unless there’s a lot more clearing out of the roster, the guys with options left who are on the bubble like Rivas are going to get bumped for now. Of course, if he added a click more power to his extremely strong bat to ball and discipline skills …
https://twitter.com/WatchMarquee/status/1505282464352141312
We don’t talk much about Young, despite the fact that he was the Cubs’ minor league player of the year in 2018, which was only a few minor league seasons ago. He’s also the only Cubs prospect not named Brennen Davis to win it in four years (Davis won it in 2021, there was no season in 2020, and Davis also won it in 2019). Today he showed off his periodically prodigious power:
https://twitter.com/CubsZone/status/1505306049380864000
It is unquestionably a bad thing that the Cubs have seen serious injuries hit key pitchers (Adbert Alzolay, Codi Heuer, Brad Wieck), but at least it creates more space for Justin Steele to get a clear shot to contribute. Rotation or multi-inning or set-up, he is going to be good:
https://twitter.com/CubsZone/status/1505275458212052998
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1505285407692500997
Obligatory “don’t run on Willson, fools” moment:
I ran on Willson Contreras and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.@obvious_shirts pic.twitter.com/yAAuvy3WwU
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 19, 2022
Chase Strumpf flashing the leather at third, where he’ll need to be capable (ditto second and in left field) if he’s going to be a bench option for the big league team in 2022-23-ish:
https://twitter.com/CubsZone/status/1505313406181691394
The Cubs got scoreless innings from 40-man bullpen hopeful Michael Rucker and last year’s breakout relief prospect Ben Leeper. It would take an outrageously strong showing from either to make the Opening Day bullpen (maybe with roster expansion), not because there isn’t upside there, but instead because of the extreme crowding. Again, anyone with options (Rucker) or who isn’t already on the 40-man (Leeper) is very unlikely to get the call right away.
Meanwhile, at the back fields, Seiya Suzuki got to know Rowan Wick:
Rowan Wick introduced himself to Seiya Suzuki on Saturday morning, and then they squared off in live batting practice. pic.twitter.com/1M70e2mLQp
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 19, 2022
Rowan Wick shows nasty stuff on strike out vs. Suzuki: pic.twitter.com/54rTzzj9RZ
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) March 19, 2022
And the newest new guy in a stream of new guys has already arrived:
Drew Smyly is here in Cubs camp. pic.twitter.com/7q2r9KwAzO
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 19, 2022
