The Cubs‘ minor league squads were back in action for their final series before the All-Star break. The teams combined for a 3-1 record last night with some high-end prospects coming up big at the plate. In the lone loss, Jordan Wicks had a tough day on the mound for Iowa. Let’s recap the action.
Image via MiLBCubs Prospects Report | July 8, 2026
Triple-A Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs suffered the lone loss in the minor league system on Tuesday – a 7-4 defeat at the hands of the St. Paul Saints (Twins). This one was pretty cut and dry. Jordan Wicks got the start, and things didn’t go well. After a scoreless first inning, Wicks allowed three in the second and four in the third, though one of those was unearned. His seven runs came on six hits and four walks. After three, the Saints led 7-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Iowa got on the board. With two outs and a runner on second, an error allowed James Triantos to reach base and Moisés Ballesteros to come around and score. Fast forward to the eighth, with the score still 7-1, Jonathan Long doubled in another run, making it 7-2. In the ninth, a BJ Murray two-run homer cut the deficit to 7-4, but that stood up as the final score.
Notable Performances
Moisés Ballesteros | 2-5, R, 2 2B Brett Bateman | 4-4, 2 R, 2 2B, BB Paul Campbell | 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 K, BBFINAL: Saints 7, Cubs 4 | Box Score
Two run blast from B.J. Murray! pic.twitter.com/zIIuz8wxBR
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) July 8, 2026Double-A Knoxville Smokies
The Knoxville Smokies took down the Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers) 9-4 on Tuesday, largely due to some pop at the top of the lineup and a big sixth inning. Connor Schultz started on the mound for Knoxville, and he put in a quality start, going six innings with three runs allowed on five hits, six strikeouts, and no walks.
Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, Jefferson Rojas got the Smokies on the board with a solo home run, but Biloxi bounced right back in the top of the sixth with a run of their own.
With the deficit sitting at 3-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Smokies’ bats broke out. First, with one out and a runner on second, Edgar Alvarez singled in a run to make it 3-1, then Karson Simas tripled in the next at-bat to tie the score. Two batters later, with runners on the corners, Drew Bowser singled in a run to give Knoxville a 4-3 lead. Following the RBI single, Alex Ramírez broke the game wide open with a three-run blast, making the score 7-3.
Biloxi got one back in the seventh, but in the bottom of the eighth, the Smokies put up two more runs when Jefferson Rojas stole home, and Andy Garriola picked up an RBI single. After the eighth, it was 9-4, which is how this one ended.
Notable Performances
Jefferson Rojas | 2-4, 2 R, HR, 2B Alex Ramírez | 2-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI Connor Schultz | 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 6 K, 0 BBFINAL: Smokies 9, Shuckers 4 | Box Score
#Cubs No. 1 prospect Jefferson Rojas goes DEEP ? pic.twitter.com/VgTOMGx4pa
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 8, 2026Three-run thunder courtesy of Alex Ramirez ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/lGc6ENFbsO
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) July 8, 2026High-A South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs used a late comeback and extra-innings heroics to pick up a 7-5 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Twins). Mason McGwire was on the mound for South Bend, and he put in a pretty good outing over four innings of work. McGwire allowed just one run on three hits, struck out three, and walked one.
When McGwire left after four, it was a 1-0 Kernels lead. In the top of the fifth, South Bend finally got on the board. First, Josiah Hartshorn brought in a run with an RBI single. After that, Angel Cepeda gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly, then Matt Halbach brought in another with an RBI single. The 3-1 lead didn’t last very long, though. In the bottom of the fifth, the Kernels got to Cole Reynolds for four runs, and the 3-1 lead turned into a 5-3 deficit.
The score stayed at 5-3 until the seventh, when the Cubs’ offense battled back. With runners on second and third and no one out, Miguel Useche came up with an RBI single to make it 5-4. Following that, Christian Olivo tied the game on a sacrifice fly. Just like that, the game was tied 5-5. That’s how the score would stay through the ninth inning, and we’d go to extras.
In the 10th, Justin Stransky stole third and, after a throwing error, took home, giving South Bend a 6-5 lead. Following that, Hartshorn added some insurance with a solo homer, increasing the advantage to 7-5, which held up as the final.
Notable Performances
Josiah Hartshorn | 2-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB Matt Halbach | 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, BB Mason McGwire | 4.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K, BBFINAL/10: Cubs 7, Kernels 5 | Box Score
Josiah Hartshorn silences the Cedar Rapids crowd!It's a @hoosierlottery home run and a huge insurance run!#SBCubs pic.twitter.com/ZNySpdAEUy
— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) July 8, 2026Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans survived a back-and-forth battle in extra innings with the Fredericksburg Nationals (Nationals) on Tuesday. Eli Lovich started the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, and in the third, the Nationals tied it. With the score 1-1 entering the bottom of the third, the Pelicans jumped out to a 4-1 lead. First, Lovich came up big again with a two-run triple, then Derniche Valdez brought in another run with an RBI single.
Unfortunately, David Bracho gave it all back and then some in the next half-inning. Bracho was tagged for four runs in the bottom of the fourth, and all of a sudden, the 4-1 lead became a 5-4 deficit.
In the sixth, a Jose Silva solo homer tied the game at 5-5. In the seventh, the teams traded two-run frames with Myrtle Beach’s runs coming on a wild pitch and a run-scoring groundout. 7-7 was the score after nine, and the game would head to extras.
In the top of the tenth, the Nationals put up a pair of runs, taking a 9-7 lead. But in the bottom half, the Pelicans took the game with one swing of the bat. With two outs, a full count, and the bases loaded, Derniche Valdez belted a walk-off grand slam, giving the Pelicans an 11-9 win.
a GRAND opening act! pic.twitter.com/mRfSFDK6am
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) July 8, 2026Notable Performances
Derniche Valdez | 4-6, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 SB Eli Lovich | 1-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 3B, BB Alexis Hernandez | 3-6, R, 2B, SBFINAL/10: Pelicans 11, Nationals 9 | Box Score
Hence then, the article about cubs prospects report july 8 2026 rojas hartshorn homer walk off grand slam more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Cubs Prospects Report .. July 8, 2026: Rojas & Hartshorn Homer, Walk-Off Grand Slam, More )
Also on site :
- Man Utd news: £85m Aurelien Tchouameni approval as transfer target 'snubs new contract'
- Remembering Robert Wilken
- Newey set for shock Red Bull return… well, sort of