Cubs Minor League Wrap: Owen Ayers goes wild

CHATTANOOGA, TN - MAY 26: Owen Ayers #6 of the Knoxville Smokies bats during the game between the Knoxville Smokies and the Chattanooga Lookouts at Erlanger Park on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Photo by Maddalena LoRae/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images) The Cubs released right-hander Jeff Brigham. Brigham was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason but was injured in Spring Training and never actually pitched for Iowa or any other minor league team.

Iowa CubsThe Iowa Cubs were locked in a cave by the Louisville Bats (Reds), 20-5. Yikes.

class="has-text-align-none">Jordan Wicks started and took the loss. Wick gave up eight runs on eight hits over 3+ innings. However, only four of the eight runs were earned. Still, it was Wicks’ own error that opened the floodgates to four of the five runs scored in the third. Wicks walked three and struck out just one.

class="has-text-align-none">Shortstop Ben Cowles went 2 for 2 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He scored twice and had two total RBI.

class="has-text-align-none">Third baseman James Triantos was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored.

class="has-text-align-none">Left fielder Justin Dean went 2 for 3 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. Dean had two RBI.

Knoxville SmokiesThe Knoxville Smokies split a doubleheader with the Montgomery Biscuits (Rays), losing game one 10-6 and winning game two 10-8. Although the doubleheader was played in Montgomery, the Smokies were the home team in game two.

class="has-text-align-none">Connor Schultz started game one, gave up two runs in the second and five in the third and took the loss. The final line on Schultz was seven runs, six earned, on five hits over 2.1 innings. Schultz walked four and struck out three.

class="has-text-align-none">Catcher Owen Ayers continues to tear up the Southern League. In game one, he went 4 for 4 with three doubles and three runs batted in.

class="has-text-align-none">Yenrri Rojas started game two, pitched two innings and allowed two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.

class="has-text-align-none">Erian Rodriguez threw the next 2.1 innings and gave up four runs on four hits. Still, that was good enough for the win. Rodriguez struck out three, hit two batters and walked two.

class="has-text-align-none">Vince Reilly pitched the final 2.2 innings and collected the save. Reilly allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn’t walk anyone.

class="has-text-align-none">Left fielder Edgar Alvarez tied the game 5-5 in the third inning with a two-run home run, his seventh. Alvarez was 1 for 4.

class="has-text-align-none">DH Owen Ayers didn’t slow down much in game two. In the first inning, he hit an RBI single. In the bottom of the sixth, he hit a two-run home run, giving the Smokies two insurance runs that they would end up needing. It was Ayers’ 17th home run this year and 11th for the Smokies.

class="has-text-align-none">After a slow May when Ayers hit .191, albeit with six home runs, in his first full month in Double-A, Ayers is hitting .586/.657/1.138 over eight games in June. He has seven doubles and three home runs in those eight games.

class="has-text-align-none">Shortstop Karson Simas went 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly. He scored one run and had three RBI.

class="has-text-align-none">Second baseman Hayden Cantrelle was 2 for 3 with two steals. He scored one run.

class="has-text-align-none">First baseman Cameron Sisneros went 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the third inning. He scored twice.

class="has-text-align-none">A two-run single for Simas.

The Smokies have taken their first lead of the day, courtesy of a @karson_simas two-RBI single pic.twitter.com/OQWoyYUGwQ

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 11, 2026The Edgar Alvarez home run.

EDGAR ALVAREZ SHOWS OFF THE DAD STRENGTH 💣

He slams his 7th homer of the season and leaves the yard for the third series in a row pic.twitter.com/FYtWirMb5o

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 11, 2026And here’s Ayers going deep for the 17th time this year already.

THAT BAT IS SIZZLING 🔥 OWEN AYERS GOES DEEP FOR SOME INSURANCE 💣

He ties the team-high with 11 home runs pic.twitter.com/t5Rv2zYbMB

— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 11, 2026South Bend CubsThe South Bend Cubs fired the Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals), 5-3. This lowers the Cubs magic number for a first-half division title down to three.

class="has-text-align-none">Tonight’s game started two hours and 19 minutes late because of rain, so it was played as a seven-inning affair.

class="has-text-align-none">Eli Jerzembeck allowed two runs in the top of the first to put South Bend down early. He finished with giving up two runs on four hits over two innings. He walked two and struck out four.

class="has-text-align-none">Kevin Valdez threw the final five innings, allowing just one run on three hits. Valdez walked no one and struck out eight batters, which tied his career-high.

class="has-text-align-none">Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn tied the game in the third inning with a two-run home run, his tenth overall and fifth with South Bend. Hartshorn was 1 for 2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly to give him three total RBI.

class="has-text-align-none">DH Kane Kepley went 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk. He scored twice.

class="has-text-align-none">Shortstop Ty Southisene was 1 for 2 with a walk and a hit by pitch. He also stole two bases and scored one run.

class="has-text-align-none">Hartshorn’s home run.

Go crazy, everyone. Josiah Hartshorn hit another @hoosierlottery home run!#SBCubspic.twitter.com/uBrQyn3bAw

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) June 11, 2026Here’s Kepley’s triple, Hartshorn’s sac fly and a two-run double by Jose Escobar. Escobar was 1 for 3.

Cubs after dark.#SBCubspic.twitter.com/1XDCpWJjt7

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) June 11, 2026Myrtle Beach PelicansThe Myrtle Beach Pelicans swatted the Augusta GreenJackets (Braves), 5-2. The win snapped an eight-game Pelicans losing streak.

class="has-text-align-none">Braylon Myers made only his second start of the season and pitched three scoreless innings. Myers allowed just one hit and issued three walks. He struck out four.

class="has-text-align-none">Hayden Frank tossed the next four innings and got the win after surrendering just one run on three hits. The one run came on a seventh inning solo home run. Frank walked two and struck out one.

class="has-text-align-none">Right fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.

class="has-text-align-none">Highlights.

ACL CubsOff day.