Welcome back to the Cubs Beat newsletter. Jordan Bastian has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2005, including the Cubs since the 2019 season. |
CHICAGO -- While the Cubs were searching for ways to spark their offense in May, the team promoted a pair of highly touted prospects, infielder Pedro Ramírez and outfielder Kevin Alcántara, from Triple-A Iowa. Ramírez (Pipeline’s No. 2 Cubs prospect and No. 84 on the Top 100 list) has filled in with utility man Matt Shaw on the injured list, helping manager Craig Counsell mix in days off for some of his regulars in the process. Alcántara (No. 5 on Pipeline’s Top 30 list for the Cubs) has added a toolsy outfielder to the bench. Both Ramírez (.855 OPS in May) and Alcántara (.956 OPS in May) were turning in strong showings last month at Triple-A before heading to Chicago. Let’s go around the farm and shine a light on some other standouts from last month. Here are my player and pitcher of the month picks for May at each of the Cubs’ four full-season affiliates: |
TRIPLE-A IOWA Player: UTIL Owen Miller The 29-year-old Miller -- a veteran of five MLB seasons -- gets the nod for May based on the volume of his production. He hit .368 with nine extra-base hits, 13 RBIs, 16 runs, 32 hits and a 1.018 OPS in 101 plate appearances across 26 games. Miller has also bounced all over the field (first base, shortstop, third base, left field and right field). Pitcher: LHP Jordan Wicks Wicks opened the year on the injured list, and after rehabbing with Triple-A Iowa, the lefty was activated and optioned to the affiliate in mid-May. In four outings for the I-Cubs last month, the 26-year-old Wicks had a 3.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings. A first-round pick in the ‘21 Draft, Wicks had a pair of tough outings recently for the Cubs before being optioned back to Iowa on Tuesday. |
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DOUBLE-A KNOXVILLE Player: OF Alex Ramírez Ramírez hit .368 (32-for-87) with three homers, six doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs in 22 games in May for Knoxville. The 23-year-old outfielder – Ramírez has played right and center this year – added 10 stolen bases, plus a .398 on-base percentage and .563 slugging percentage (.961 OPS) last month. This is his first year in the Cubs’ system after five seasons with the Mets. Pitcher: RHP Brooks Caple The 23-year-old Caple spun a 2.61 ERA in four appearances (three starts) for the Smokies in May, compiling 23 strikeouts against just four walks in 20 2/3 innings. The righty turned in a 1.02 WHIP and allowed 17 hits (one home run). The Cubs selected the 6-foot-6 Caple out of Lamar University in Texas in the ninth round of the ‘24 Draft. |
HIGH-A SOUTH BEND Player: OF Kane Kepley and SS Ty Southisene
It was too hard to choose one of Kepley (Pipeline’s No. 6 Cubs prospect) or Southisene (No. 25) over the other. The 22-year-old Kepley (second-round pick in the '25 Draft) hit .304/.438/.451 with eight extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 15 steals and more walks (24) than strikeouts (15). The 20-year-old Southisene (fourth round, ‘24 Draft) hit .358/.470/.411 with four extra-base hits, 11 steals and more walks (16) than strikeouts (10).
Pitcher: RHP Koen Moreno After a tough April (8.82 ERA), the 24-year-old Moreno hit his stride in the season’s second month. In five appearances (four starts) in May, the right-hander logged a 2.37 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 19 innings. Moreno limited batters to a .185 average with just 12 hits allowed. The Cubs picked the righty in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft. SINGLE-A MYRTLE BEACH Player: OF Josiah Hartshorn The 19-year-old Hartshorn (No. 8 on the Cubs’ Top 30 list) hit his way into a promotion to High-A South Bend in May. In 17 games with the Pelicans before being bumped up, the switch-hitting outfielder posted a .288/.417/.492 slash line with two homers, six doubles, 12 RBIs and more walks (12) than strikeouts (10). He hit .304 with a .968 OPS in 23 games in May between the two A-ball affiliates. Chicago picked Hartshorn in the sixth round of the '25 Draft. Pitcher: RHP Dominick Reid The Cubs picked the 22-year-old Reid (No. 15 on Pipeline’s Top 30 list for the Cubs) in the third round of the ‘25 Draft and the righty has enjoyed a strong start to ‘26. Reid stood out in May, in particular, spinning a 2.16 ERA in five starts. In 25 innings last month, the right-hander piled up 27 strikeouts against eight walks with a .189 opponents’ average (17 hits allowed). |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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Cubs first baseman Michael Busch had 24 RBIs, 25 walks and 30 hits in his standout May for the North Siders. Who was the last Cubs batter to reach those three marks in a month? A) Derrek Lee B) Ryne Sandberg C) Ernie Banks D) Bill Nicholson |
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SWANSONS HOLD FIRST FOUNDATION EVENT |
Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson and his wife Mallory, who plays soccer for the Chicago Stars, hosted a charity event for their Purpose and Calling Foundation late last month. Multiple teammates came out to support the Swanson Games to help raise money (more than $750,000) to benefit youth sports around Chicagoland. “First of all,” Swanson said, “the support from teammates, the community of Chicago, people there invested in making this place better -- it was so amazing. It was just such a blessing that Mal and my platform can be utilized to help change the lives of kids. It’s just giving opportunities and resources and a path for kids to be able to, literally, fulfill their purpose and calling. That’s why we named the foundation that.” |
After using Lou Gehrig Day on Tuesday to highlight the ongoing fight against ALS, the Cubs still have an auction lasting through Tuesday to benefit the cause. Check out cubs.com/alsauction to see the many items up for bidding, including game-used jerseys and bases, plus some unique offerings. There are multiple items signed by Pearl Jam, experiences (tours, dinners, concerts and more) and an assortment of autographed mementos. |
"It’s special. Man, a lot of hits, a lot of time in this stadium with these fans. Ups and downs. Honestly, I thought back to the first hit at Wrigley. It was a pretty cool moment to get that in the middle of the field, standing at second base. That was pretty cool." -- Left fielder Ian Happ, who received a standing ovation after reaching 1,000 career hits with the Cubs on Wednesday |
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D) Bill Nicholson You have to go all the way back to September-October in 1944 to find the last Cubs batter to match Busch’s May production in those three categories. Nicholson had 24 RBIs, 25 walks and 33 hits in that month (which included a doubleheader against the Boston Braves on Oct. 1). Busch hit .300 with a .956 OPS in May, while Nicholson hit .260 with an .838 OPS in the final month of '44. |
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