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Cubs Minor League Wrap: Smokies split with Trash Pandas

· Yahoo Sports

Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) misses the ball during a Knoxville Smokies game against the Trash Pandas at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on April 10, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Complex League starts on Saturday, so there’s some movement in anticipation of that. The Iowa Cubs also got some (probably) temporary reinforcements.

Right-hander Vince Velazquez has elected free agency.

Visit rouesnews.click for more information.

Right-hander Jace Beck was promoted to Triple-A Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.

Outfielder Jeury Ramirez was promoted from the Dominican Summer League Cubs-Red to Iowa.

Outfielder Freiker Betencourt was promoted from DSL Cubs-Red to Iowa.

Right-hander Jubrayker Salaya moved from DSL Cubs-Red to Iowa.

Right-hander Ben Johnson was demoted to High-A South Bend from Knoxville.

Second baseman Darlyn De Leon was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs.

Outfielder Derik Alcantara was sent down to Mesa from Myrtle Beach.

Please note that the Cubs did not fly those players out of the Dominican Republic and send them to Iowa. They were in Arizona to be activated for Saturday’s season opener for Mesa and the Cubs just sent them to Iowa to fill out their roster. Presumably they will soon be sent back down to Mesa. None of those DSL players played for Iowa tonight.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were excommunicated by the St. Paul Saints (Twins), 3-1.

It wasn’t a bad start for Charlie Barnes, but he got the loss as Iowa couldn’t score. Barnes’ final line was three runs on just two hits over five innings. He did walk three and hit one batter while striking out four.

Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and Tyler Beede all threw one inning of relief without allowing a hit or a run. Roberts retired the side in order in the seventh, striking out one. He somehow took 23 pitches to get those three batters out. Fifteen were strikes.

The I-Cubs outhit the Saints 8 to 2, but were outscored 3 to 1. First baseman Jonathon Long singled home third baseman James Triantos in the eighth inning. Both players were 2 for 4.

Long’s RBI single was pretty much it for the highlights for Iowa.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies split a doubleheader with the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), losing game one 3-1 and winning the second game 6-1.

Grant Kipp started game one and took the loss after he allowed one run in the first inning and two more in the second. Kipp’s final line was three runs on four hits over 1.2 innings. Kipp walked three and struck out two.

Knoxville only had two hits in game one. Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was 0 for 1 with two walks and he scored the only Smokies run of the game on an Owen Ayers sac fly in the sixth.

Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 1 for 3 with a double.

Three pitchers combined on a two-hitter in game two. Starter Dawson Netz pitched four innings and allowed no runs and one hit. Netz struck out seven and walked just one.

Luis Rujano threw the next two innings and got the win because Netz only went four innings. Rujano gave up one run on hit—a double by the first batter he faced in the fifth. Rujano struck out one and walked no one.

Vince Reilly retired the side in order in the seventh. He struck out one.

Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 5 with an RBI double.

First baseman Edgar Alvarez went 2 for 4 with one run scored.

Second baseman Ed Howard was 2 for 4 with an RBi single in the second inning. He also scored on the Rojas double.

Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was a perfect 1 for 1 with three walks. He was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for an RBI. Nwogu also scored one run.

Rojas’ RBI double in game two.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were dented by the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 6-1.

Koen Moreno started and got the loss. Moreno surrendered four runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings. Moreno struck out five and walked on.

Leonel Espinoza came into the game when Reginald Preciado left the game after getting hit by a pitch. Espinoza went 2 for 2 with a double and a solo home run in the eighth. It was his second home run this year.

Espinoza’s home run.

A nice defensive play by second baseman Drew Bowser, costing Luigi a hit. I’m sure that’s Lamar King Jr.‘s nickname now.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans called lights out on the Columbia Fireflies (Royals), 4-2.

Edwardo Melendez started and went four innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit. Melendez struck out four and walked just one.

The win went to Victor Zarraga because Melendez didn’t go five. Zarraga relieved Melendez and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits. Zarraga did walk three and struck out six.

Braylon Myers pitched the final 1.2 innings and got his first career save. Myers did not allow a run or a hit, but he did walk two while striking out three.

The Pelicans scored all four runs in the second inning.

Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with a two-run double.

First baseman Michael Carico was 2 for 4 and scored one run.

Left fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 4 and scored one run.

The night after reader holycow8498 pointed out that right fielder Josiah Hartshorn had a 21-game on-base streak to start his professional career, Hartshorn was 0 for 4, snapping the streak.

Highlights.

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