We had a loaded day in the Cubs‘ minor league system with all four squads in action, plus a doubleheader for the Knoxville Smokies after the Florida weather got to them over the past few days. Iowa needed extras, but picked up a win. Knoxville split their doubleheader in two very different games. South Bend and Myrtle Beach both suffered tough losses. Let’s get to it.
Cubs Prospects Report | August 21, 2026
Triple-A Iowa Cubs
It took extra innings, but the Iowa Cubs secured a 5-4 win over the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers) on Thursday. The Cubs jumped out to the game’s first lead in the top of the first on a BJ Murray sacrifice fly. Then, in the fourth, they made it 2-0 on a Chas McCormick double that brought Murray around to score. In the bottom half of the inning, though, the Mud Hens got that run right back on a Shelby Miller wild pitch, making it 2-1.
Miller tossed just 0.2 innings in relief of Connor Noland. Noland went 3.1 innings, allowing just that one run on four hits and two walks, to go along with four strikeouts. Miller’s two outs of work were both strikeouts.
In the sixth, the Cubs made it 3-1 on a Ben Cowles RBI double, and things looked good for Iowa. But the good feelings didn’t last terribly long. In the bottom of the sixth, Toledo got to Jayden Murray for three runs in just 0.1 innings of work. Just like that, the lead was completely erased, and the Mud Hens now held a 4-3 advantage.
That advantage lasted until the ninth. With the Cubs down to their last out, James Triantos stepped up to the plate with a runner on first and ripped a double to left field, bringing around Hayden Cantrelle to tie the ballgame. The game then went to extras. With runners on the corners and one out, Chas McCormick grounded into a double play, but it brought in a run to give Iowa a 5-4 lead. In the bottom of the tenth, Luis Peralta sent the Mud Hens down in order to seal the win for the Cubs.
Notable Performances
Chas McCormick | 3-5, R, RBI, 2 2B BJ Murray | 2-4, R, RBI, 2B Ben Cowles | 1-2, RBI, 2 2B, 2 BBFINAL/10: Cubs 5, Mud Hens 4 | Box Score
Down to our final out, James Triantos ties the game! pic.twitter.com/DDPwE5bPMk
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) August 21, 2026Luis Peralta slams the door! pic.twitter.com/rL7H4iSrWG
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) August 21, 2026Double-A Knoxville Smokies
We had a tale of two games in the Smokies doubleheader on Thursday with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins). Game 1 was the resumption of Tuesday’s matchup, which saw the Smokies dominate early with a nine-run first inning. So naturally, this game was a bit of cruise control for Knoxville. In the third inning, with the 9-0 lead intact, Pensacola bit into the advantage a bit, getting to Connor Schultz for three runs.
But after a scoreless fourth, Knoxville got those runs back and then some with a five-run frame of their own. After a Kane Kepley bases-loaded walk and Andy Garriola sacrifice fly, Miguel Useche roped a two-run double, and Alex Ramírez followed with an RBI single. Then, in the sixth, Ariel Armas chipped in with a solo homer, and Edgar Alvarez scored on a wild pitch to make it 16-5, which held up as the final.
FINAL (Gm. 1): Smokies 16, Blue Wahoos 5 | Box Score
While Game 1 was all Smokies, Game 2 was controlled by the Blue Wahoos. Knoxville did strike first in the top of the third when Karson Simas took a 3-2 pitch out to right, but that was it for the scoring for the Smokies. Pensacola got to Brody McCullough in the bottom of the third for a pair of runs, then added three more in the fourth and one more in the fifth to bolster their advantage to 6-1. From there, the Blue Wahoos were in control through the seventh inning, where this one went final at 6-1.
FINAL (Gm. 2): Blue Wahoos 6, Smokies 1 | Box Score
Notable Performances
Andy Garriola (Gm. 1) | 2-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI Edgar Alvarez (Gm. 1) | 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB Miguel Useche (Gm. 1) | 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BBARMAS PUT THIS ONE IN THE GULF ?? pic.twitter.com/TXKjwRzFJc
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) August 21, 2026High-A South Bend Cubs
After taking a late lead against the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers), the South Bend Cubs fell apart in the ninth inning and dropped their Thursday matchup 5-2.
There wasn’t a whole lot of action early in this one. Nazier Mulé was on the mound for South Bend, and he was sharp throughout his 5.1 innings of work. Mulé allowed just one earned run on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning before being pulled. He gave up four hits, issued two walks, and struck out six.
Trailing 1-0 in the seventh, Justin Stransky evened things up with an RBI single on an 0-2 count and runners on second and third. The next batter, Leonel Espinoza, brought the go-ahead run in from third on a groundout, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead. That lead held until the top of the ninth, when things went sideways.
Jose Romero was tasked with closing out the game, and it went quite poorly. Romero recorded just one out, issued two walks, and allowed a pair of hits. After a leadoff single, Romero walked the next batter and hit the following one with a pitch. Just like that, it was bases loaded and no one out. Romero then got an infield pop-out for the inning’s first out. But following the pop-out, a wild pitch gave the Whitecaps a lead. Then a balk gave them another run. Following the balk, an RBI single made it 5-2. It was then that Romero was pulled, but the damage had been done, and 5-2 held up as the final score.
Notable Performances
Josiah Hartshorn | 2-3, 2B, BB Justin Stransky | 1-3, RBI, BB Nazier Mulé | 5.1 IP, 4 H, ER, 6 K, 2 BBFINAL: Whitecaps 5, Cubs 2 | Box Score
A "strike 'em out, not throw 'em out, throw 'em out" double play!#SBCubs pic.twitter.com/7154EeSCZm
— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) August 21, 2026Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
There wasn’t a whole lot to report from the Pelicans’ 1-0 loss to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros) on Thursday. Myrtle Beach’s lineup combined for just two hits and four walks on the evening.
On the bright side, their pitching was phenomenal. Chase Meyer started and went four innings. He allowed four hits, two walks, and struck out four. Following him, Hayden Frank also went four solid frames. He allowed the lone run of the ballgame in the top of the eighth on a one-out RBI single. Frank also struck out four and allowed just the one hit and run. John Alkire II tossed a clean ninth inning and struck out a pair of batters.
Trailing 1-0 in the ninth, the Pelicans went down in order, and that was that.
Notable Performances
Chase Meyer | 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 K, 2 BB Hayden Frank | 4.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K, BB Darlyn De Leon | 1-3, BBFINAL: Woodpeckers 1, Pelicans 0 | Box Score
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