Cubs Minor League Report Card: Tennessee Starting Pitchers |
The other day, we covered some of the Iowa starters, but now it is time to move to AA, where the focus shifts to Tennessee. You could've covered Brandon Birdsell and Connor Noland in this section, but after getting promoted to AAA, we elected to cover both of them in that section.
Looking back at the Smokies' season, it was a historical season. Their 86 wins were the most in franchise history, and it was their final season before moving to Knoxville next year. The only better would've been another Southern League championship, but regardless, the overall success this team had can't be overlooked. For the majority of the season, the offense carried this team, as guys like Moises Ballesteros, James Triantos, Kevin Alcantara, and Matt Shaw called this team home. Eventually, those guys got the bump to AAA, and when that happened, it was up to the pitching to shoulder the load. These starters saw the most action and made the biggest impact this season.
Seen primarily as a reliever or Swing man the past few seasons, Kachmar took on a full-time starter role in the second half of the season and emerged as one of the Smokies' most trusted options. This is a guy who appeared in 27 games and 20 starts, but 18 of those came after June, when he settled into a regular role in the rotation. You couldn't have asked for a much better season, as he was second in the Smokies rotation in wins (8-3) and posted a solid 3.69 ERA. That included a seven-start stretch with an ERA under 3.00, as he was the Smokie's best pitcher for nearly a month. He did start to fade toward the end of the year, but his performance alone gives the Cubs another valuable option for next season. Season Grade: B+ When discussing the Cubs and their starting pitching prospects, Kachmar does not come to mind, but his performance can't be overlooked. Not a power pitcher by any means, Kachmar does all the little things right as he does what he needs to do to pick up outs. His skills aren't elite, and he doesn't have the best stamina, but he knows how to win games, which is all you can ask for. Should he move to AAA next season, the Cubs will have to make a tough decision about where to place him.
One of the more surprising pitchers in the Cubs system was 28-year-old Antonio Santos. Signed in June after being released by his Mexican squad, Santos not only was thrown into the middle of the Smokies rotation but, at times, pitched like a true Ace as his fastball/slider combination gave hitters fits. At one point, Santos was 7-1 with an ERA under 3.00 and was knocking on the door of a AAA call-up. After that, he limped to the finish line, but with a 9-4 record and a 3.99 ERA, he still put together a solid season. His 25bb/80K ratio shows that he could be overpowering at times, but there were still times when he struggled to get the job done. Season Grade B: Santos, like Kachmar, came out of nowhere this season and put together a great season. Had he been with the Cubs all season instead of signing with them in June, you would have a double-digit wins pitcher with a chance to lead the organization in wins. This is one of the guys who should have a guaranteed roster spot next season to, at the very least, prove he deserves to be here.
The final pitcher we will discuss was a toss-up between Matt Thompson and Sam Armstrong, with Armstrong ultimately getting the final nod. This was one of those day-three pickups that have been impressive, as the Cubs drafted him in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB draft. Since then, Armstrong has thrived at every level, including this season, when he made 20 combined starts between high-A and AA. For the season, Armstrong went just 5-7, but with a 2.87 ERA, you can see that he wasn't always given the support he deserved. That included a 2-3 showing with the Smokies, as he lowered his ERA from 3.00 with South Bend to 2.70 with the Smokies. Season Grade: A- Armstrong is a prime example of why wins and losses don't matter as a starting pitcher. Yes, he was below .500 for the season, but with a 2.87 ERA, you can see how bad his run support was. Armstrong could emerge as an under-the-radar arm next season as he hopes the run support will increase in his second full season in the minors.Chris Kachmar
Antonio Santos
Sam Armstrong
