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The Cubs minor leaguers were back in action, kicking off their week-long series on Tuesday. For the Knoxville Smokies, they had a new player debuting in Owen Ayers, who was called up after a red-hot start in South Bend. And for Ayers’ former team, at least on Tuesday, their offense didn’t experience any drop off. Let’s get to it.
Cubs Prospects Report | April 22, 2026
Triple-A Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs dropped their series opener against the Louisville Bats (Reds) in large part due to a tough start from Paul Campbell on the mound. After a scoreless first frame for both teams, Campbell was shelled in the top of the second for five runs on five hits and a walk, which put Iowa in a 5-0 hole.
Louisville added one more in the top of the fourth to make it 6-0. In the bottom half of the fourth, though, the Cubs did their best to get back into this one when Dylan Carlson belted a three-run homer to cut the Bats’ lead in half, making it 6-3. Unfortunately, that was all the offense Iowa would muster in this one. The Bats answered right back in the fifth with another run, and then added three more across the final three innings and took this one 10-3.
Notable Performances
Dylan Carlson | 1-4, HR, 3 RBI BJ Murray | 3-4, 2B Chas McCormick | 2-3, R, 2BFINAL: Bats 10, Cubs 3 | Box Score
First homer of the year for Dylan Carlson!? pic.twitter.com/opfIW9FGot
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) April 22, 2026Double-A Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies took the field in their series opener against the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds) with a new bat in their lineup. Owen Ayers joined the squad after a red-hot start to his season in South Bend. Unfortunately, Ayers struggled in his debut, and the Smokies’ lineup was largely silent all night. In fact, both lineups were relatively silent most of the night.
After a scoreless first inning, Chattanooga broke out at the plate for a four-run top of the second off starter Nick Dean. The 4-0 lead they took in the second would also hold up as the final score. Both teams were able to mount some offense, with Chattanooga recording eight hits and Knoxville recording seven, but outside of the top of the second, the run production just wasn’t there.
As for Owen Ayers debut, it wasn’t the one he’d hoped for, I’m sure. The newest Knoxville Smokie went 0-4 with a strikeout, and three outs (two groundouts and a popout) that didn’t leave the infield. Having said that, it’s hardly time to panic. Callups are always an adjustment, and once Ayers gets his feet wet, he should be just fine.
Notable Performances
Alex Ramirez | 2-4, 2 R, 2B, BB Carter Trice | 2-5, R, 2B Evan Taylor | 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 5 K, 2 BBFINAL: Lookouts 4, Smokies 0 | Box Score
High-A South Bend Cubs
While Knoxville and Iowa struggled a bit at the plate, the opposite was the case for South Bend in their 16-10 slugfest win over the Dayton Dragons (Reds). Now, I called it a slugfest obviously because of the 16-run effort, but the Cubs won this one not with pure power at the plate, but with efficiency and timely hitting. South Bend’s lineup combined for 12 hits on the day, but only one of those left the ballpark, and just three total went for extra bases.
The Dragons jumped out to an early lead, holding a 5-1 advantage after three frames. In the fifth, Kade Snell and Matt Halbach got the Cubs within two runs, cutting the deficit to 5-3 with an RBI each. Then in the seventh, Kane Kepley drove in a run on an RBI single, then Snell tied the game with a sac fly. After a solo homer from the Dragons in the bottom of the seventh, things got wild.
In the top of the eighth, Justin Stransky tied the game on an RBI groundout. A few batters later, Cole Mathis seemingly broke the game open with a bases-loaded double, driving in three. Snell was up next and made it 10-6 with an RBI single of his own. But Dayton didn’t lie down. They answered right back with a four-run frame of their own, with all four runs coming off Nate Williams out of the bullpen. And just like that, we were all tied at 10.
Fortunately, South Bend came out firing in the top of the ninth, coming back even stronger. Stransky gave the Cubs an 11-10 lead when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Then Christian Olivo drove in another on an RBI single. Following that, a Kane Kepley walk brought in another. With a 13-10 lead, Matt Halbach ripped an RBI single, scoring another, but the bases ended up being cleared after a throwing error. The 16-10 lead was enough, and South Bend picked up a wild, fun win.
Notable Performances
Christian Olivo | 2-3, 5 R, HR, 3 RBI Kade Snell | 2-4, 3 RBI, BB Matt Halbach | 2-6, 3 RBI, 2BFINAL: Cubs 16, Dragons 10 | Box Score
Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach dropped its series opener to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros) by the final score of 6-2 in a bit of an uneventful game. In a common theme on this day for the Cubs’ minor league affiliates, the second inning was the killer for the Pelicans. Fayetteville jumped out to a 3-0 lead off Dominick Reid after a scoreless first inning, and that ended up being enough for the win.
The Pelicans’ only offense came in the top of the seventh. Josiah Hartshorn and Michael Carico each drove in a run on RBI singles, and for a brief moment, Myrtle Beach had some life trailing just 4-2. But the Woodpeckers answered right back with a pair of their own in the bottom of the seventh, and 6-2 held up as the final score.
Notable Performances
Josiah Hartshorn | 2-5, RBI Alexey Lumpuy | 1-2, R, 3 BB Michael Carico | 1-4, RBIFINAL: Woodpeckers 6, Pelicans 2 | Box Score
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