Chicago Cubs Around the Farm 4/12/23: Owen Caissie Power Surge

I think Christopher Morel is ready to return to Chicago. In his short time with Iowa thus far in 2023, Morel is crushing things. He's batting .371 and has an OPS of 1.254 while driving in almost as many runs (9) as the Cubs have played games (10).

It's hard to say Morel has anything to prove while getting these consistent at-bats in Triple-A, especially after the hot start he's had. Morel has earned two Biggest Yes awards in 10 games. At this point, it's just a matter of who he'd potentially replace in Chicago if he comes back up soon. Edwin Rios comes to mind, but that's a lefty bat whereas Morel bats righty. Still, Morel is doing everything in his power to make his case.

Biggest Yikes: Rowan Wick — 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 1 SO, 1 HR

Rowan Wick is not having a great time in Triple-A. The 30-year-old has now made four appearances this year with Iowa. He has a 9.00 ERA, .300 BAA, and three home runs allowed in seven innings. Wick's doing bad, guys.

In this one, Wick gave up three doubles and a home run. He was getting lit up time and time again. Wick came into the game with the Cubs down just 2-3. When he was finally relieved, Iowa was down 3-7. They could never come back.

Double-A Tennessee: 8-5 Victory Over Montgomery Biscuits

Biggest Yes: Owen Caissie — 3/4, 3 HR (3), 6 RBI (8)

I mean, how do you not give Biggest Yes to a dude who hit three home runs and almost single-handedly won his team the game? Caissie, my No. 9 prospect, was out here playing MLB the Show on rookie-level difficulty with power sliders all the way up.

Caissie started things out with a bang in the first inning, hitting a grand slam well over the right-field fence. He followed it up with a solo shot to right-center in the sixth inning and topped it off with another solo home run in the ninth inning, keeping the Smokies on top with a three-run cushion. Not a bad showing for Caissie's first (and second and third) home run at the Double-A level.

Biggest Yikes: Luis Vazquez — 0/4, 3 SO, 1 LOB

Just a couple of batters after Caissie, Vazquez did a nice job taking the wind out of Tennessee's sails each time he came up to the plate. The 23-year-old infielder struck out in 75 percent of his plate appearances and never reached base. The one time Vazquez did make contact, he grounded into a double play. 

This marks Vazquez's fifth Biggest Yikes award, giving him sole possession of third place in the Cubs' farm system on the career Biggest Yikes leaders. Only Kevin Made (7) and Fabian Pertuz (6) stand above him.

High-A South Bend: 8-0 Victory Over Beloit Sky Carp

Biggest Yes: Kohl Franklin — 4.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 R, 7 SO

Franklin was cruising in this one, and it's so great to see. The 23-year-old has some great stuff, but his command hasn't always been stellar. In this one, Franklin did give up a couple of walks and missed his spots some, but his stuff was good enough to make up for it.

My 50th-ranked Cubs prospect struck out the side in the first inning, which is always a great start. He followed that up by getting a pop out and two strikeouts in the second. The third inning led to his first baserunner, a six-pitch walk after being up in the count 1-2, and his two baserunners in the fourth also each had two strikes when they ended up reaching. Franklin dominated and nearly no-hit the Sky Carp for four innings.

Biggest Yikes: Josue Huma — 0/4, 1 SO, 4 LOB, E

Huma picks up his third-career Biggest Yikes award here by going 0-for-4, striking out, leaving four on base, and committing a fielding error. On the surface, it normally takes more to earn a Biggest Yikes, but it is harder when a team wins 8-0.

I have Huma as my 99th-best prospect in the Cubs system, primarily due to an average field, arm, and run tools. Still, Huma showed a slightly below-average hit tool last season. The 23-year-old hit .252 with Low-A Myrtle Beach last year, but he's certainly struggling to find his way in South Bend. Hopefully, he can improve.

Low-A Myrtle Beach: 6-4 Victory Over Lynchburg Hillcats

Biggest Yes: Cade Horton — 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 5 SO

What a professional debut for Cade Horton! The Cubs' seventh overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft blanked Lynchburg for 2.1 innings, striking out almost every batter he got out. Horton had some deeper counts, but he worked 1-2-3 frames in the first and second, each consisting of two strikeouts.

Horton, my 10th-ranked Cubs prospect, gave up a couple of hits in the third inning — both times coming after already getting two strikes on the hitters. He worked in another strikeout in between them, but he was pulled after a fly ball set the Hillcats up with runners on first and third. It's hard to ask for a much better pro debut than what Horton put up. His stuff was nasty, and he dominated out there. Let's hope it is the first dominant appearance of many to come.

Biggest Yikes: Andy Garriola — 1/5, 1 SO, 2 LOB

This is a tough one for Garriola, who earns a similar Biggest Yikes to the one Huma picked up a moment ago. For the most part, Garriola didn't do terribly — he just did worse than others did, and most everyone played pretty well for Myrtle Beach.

I have Garriola ranked as my 108th-best prospect in the Cubs' system. He was a 17th-round draft pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Old Dominion. Garriola already has a home run and six RBIs with Myrtle Beach, but in this one, he just sort of came up short in 80 percent of his at-bats. It's tough, but he's getting the Biggest Yikes here.