Chicago Cubs Around the Farm 4/7/23: Iowa Struggles as Rest of Farm Thrives

I need to give an honorable mention shoutout to Riley Thompson, my 51st-ranked prospect in the Cubs' farm system, for his first Triple-A appearance. The righty started the game and pitched 4.0 innings, striking out six, while giving up just one run. Still, the Biggest Yes is going to another player new to Triple-A this year in the 24-year-old Yonathan Perlaza, prospect #29 on my Cubs top-prospect list. 

Perlaza was a home run away from hitting for the cycle, as he was a sole consistent bright spot on offense for the Cubs. Every at-bat, Perlaza was all over the Saints' pitching. Already a guy with a 50-grade hit tool, Perlaza moved his average up to .455 and his OPS to 1.265 to start his Triple-A career with this performance.

Biggest Yikes: Rowan Wick — 1.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 HR

This performance had a ton of ups and downs for the veteran Rowan Wick. While only one of Wick's runs was an "earned" run due to a fielding error in the sixth, he still gave up two home runs and all of the other base runners that scored outside of the one that reached via error.

After struggling in the majors for the past couple of seasons, the hope was Wick could get some consistency back with Iowa and return to 2019/2020 form when he was a shut-down option out of Chicago's bullpen. So far—with a 5.40 ERA in three appearances—that is not going well.

Double-A Tennessee: 10-9 Victory Over Birmingham Barons

Biggest Yes: Pablo Aliendo — 3/4, HR (1), 3 RBI (3), 2 R, BB

How do you not give Biggest Yes to the guy who hit the walk-off home run to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning? Pablo Aliendo, a 21-year-old catcher, was an offensive force throughout the game. He was on base after 80% of his plate appearances, and he may be well on his way to improving his already solid 50 hit tool.

In his first Double-A game (noticing a trend?), Aliendo flashed power and solid discipline at the plate and won the game when things mattered most. Hats off to the 38th-best prospect in the Cubs' farm system.

Biggest Yikes: Jordan Nwogu — 0/3, 3 SO

As we talk a lot about prospects who are new to playing at their current level, Jordan Nwogu has been having a rough go of things in his first couple of games with Tennessee. Nwogu is my 36th-best prospect in the Cubs' farm system, and it's just two games, so there is nothing to overreact to as of yet.

Still, in a game where the Smokies needed a ton of offensive, Nwogu—a bat-first outfielder—struck out every time he came to the plate. Thus, the 24-year-old earns his second-career Biggest Yikes award.

High-A South Bend: 5-2 Victory Over Quad City River Bandits

Biggest Yes: Richard Gallardo — 5.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 0 ER, 4 SO

Richard Gallardo simply stepped up to the mound on Friday and shut down Quad City for five straight innings. He pitched a 1-2-3 first, then—after a single, walk, and catcher interference loaded the bases in the second inning, Gallardo pumped out two strike outs and a fly out to get out of the jam. In the third inning, Gallardo gave up a single, erased it with a double play, then got a pop out. The fourth had just one hit, then Gallardo ended how he started—a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth. 

Gallardo, my 71st-best Cubs prospect, produces a ton of ground balls, and it was no different this time around. He mowed through the River Bandits' lineup. He went 5.0 innings in 72 pitches (44 strikes), so he still has more work to do ironing out his command, but even that was much improved in this one.

Biggest Yikes: Ethan Hearn — 0/4, 3 SO, 2 E 

This was a rough performance by Ethan Hearn, the 22-year-old catcher. Not only did Hearn strike out in 75% of his plate appearances, he didn't get on base a single time. Beyond that, he did his fair share to make sure the River Cats got on base and advanced on the base paths. Hearn was called for two catcher's interferences, and he let a runner steal a base on the only attempt. This gives Hearn four Biggest Yikes awards, tied for third in the Cubs' farm system.

Low-A Myrtle Beach: 13-1 Victory Over Charleston RiverDogs

Biggest Yes: Parker Chavers — 2/4, HR (1), 4 RBI (4), 2 R, 2 BB

Shout out to 2022 draft pick Andy Garriola, who hit a grand slam in this one (in the same bonkers inning Parker Chavers did), but Chavers still had the better overall performance by a hair. Chavers, my 84th-best prospect in the Cubs' farm system, isn't necessarily known for his power profile, but he destroyed a pitch in the fourth inning for a three-run home run to blow the game open.

Later on, still in the fourth inning because—as said previously—this inning was bonkers, Chavers hit an RBI single to put the Pelicans up 12-0. That's fun to see from the Cubs' 7th-round pick in 2021. It also gives him his fourth-career Biggest Yes award, which is tied for fifth in the Cubs' system.

Biggest Yikes: Cristian Hernandez — 1/5, R, 3 SO

You have to feel a little bit for Cristian Hernandez, the number-eight prospect in the Cubs' farm system, as he has started out his Low-A career. The 19-year-old is clearly still struggling to adjust to the more advanced competition as he now picks up his second-career Biggest Yikes award in as many games. That means that Hernandez's games to Biggest Yikes ratio is currently at 1:1. 

Hernandez did squeeze his first Low-A hit into right field in that bonkers fourth inning, and he made some solid defensive plays at shortstop, so you have to give him some credit. Plus, it's hard to worry about Hernandez given the natural tools he has to be an above-average offensive player and very solid defensive shortstop.