Cubs Minor League News: AFL Edition |
Dustin Riese
· · 1 day ago
Even though the Minor League Season has been over for several weeks, baseball never stops, as there is plenty of baseball to go around. Yes, all the focus is on the postseason as it should be, but there is far more baseball to keep tabs on than just the postseason itself.
Take the Minor Leagues, for example, particularly the prospects in the Minor Leagues, as they have officially begun their second season of baseball with the 2025 Arizona Fall League underway. For those unfamiliar with the Fall League, it's a month-long league that allows teams to place some of their highly regarded prospects in the desert to get as many reps as possible before winter. The Cubs have had several talented players come through the Fall League before, and this season is no exception, as eight of their prospects are set to receive extra reps in Mesa. Granted, most of these prospects would be considered lower-tier prospects compared to the higher-ranked prospects of the past, but any additional work can go a long way in helping them achieve a breakout performance along the way. As is the case every fall, all eight Cubs prospects join forces with the Mesa Solar Sox, who kicked off their season Tuesday night at Sloan Park against the Surprise Saguaros. This was one of your classic games in the desert as the Saguaros opened up a massive 4-0 lead in the first, only to have the Solar Sox strike for three runs in the third to make this a 4-3 game. Two more big innings from Surprise in the middle innings led to five more runs, which was all they would need to get the job done as the Solar Sox dropped their season opener 9-6. There aren't many cases, if at all, when an organization will see every one of their prospects play in the same game, but the Cubs were well represented on Tuesday as three of their eight prospects took to the field. The most notable of those prospects was Ed Howard, as the former first-round pick is looking to save his professional career. Seen as a can't-miss prospect when the Cubs drafted him in the first round several years ago, Howard has failed to reach any level of expectations as a series of injuries has derailed his career almost before it could get going. Injuries took a toll on him again this season, which is why the Cubs elected to send him to the desert with the hopes of getting him some extra reps and confidence heading into the offseason. Despite the overall solid defense, which is something he will continue to bring, Howard had a rough time at the plate, going hitless with two strikeouts on the evening. When it comes to the Cubs' other position player, catcher Owen Ayers, he couldn't have asked for a better start to his Fall League season. Seen as one of the better defensive catchers in the Cubs system, Ayers put that on display throughout the game as he showed off a great arm and the ability to block pitches in the dirt to prevent them from getting to the screen. It's his offense that has always been a work in progress, but with two hits and two RBIs, he showed promise at the plate, which could come in handy next season. The first of those hits came as part of the Solar Sox's three-run third inning as Ayers delivered an RBI single to make things 4-2 at that point. Ayers added a walk in the fifth inning before ending his night with a solo blast in the seventh to bring home what was the final run of the game for either side. It wasn't just about the hitting that stole the show for the Cubs as right-handed pitcher Luis Martinez-Gomez saw his first action of the fall on the mound. Of all the prospects sent to Mesa, especially when it comes to pitchers, Martinez-Gomez has the most upside, as he has been listed as a potential breakout player this season. If Tuesday was any indication of what is to come, Martinez-Gomez has the stuff to take the AFL by storm as he tossed a scoreless inning of relief with two punchouts to close out the day for the Cubs.
