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South Bend Cubs Gameday Program - July 2021

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JULY 2021

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Yonathan Perlaza’s Journey Through the Minor Leagues By Josh Sperber

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ome of the best players in the game today were international free agents signed in 2015, including Fernando Tatis Jr and Juan Soto. According to MLB pipeline, Yonathan Perlaza was rated higher than both of them when the Cubs signed him as a 16-year old. The Venezuelan prospect grew up around the game, with two of three older brothers that played baseball, as well as his mother and sister who played softball. The similarities he saw in softball and baseball helped him fall in love with baseball, and stoked his desire to play as much as he could. Perlaza came from humble beginnings in Paramo Tucani, Venezuela and was raised around the game. He grew up a Yankee fan and idolized some of the great Venezuelan players in the 2000s, such as Johan Santana, Miguel Cabrera and José Altuve. “I try to play like Miguel Cabrera and Yasiel Puig. Like me, they play hard but have fun doing it. They also grew from how they were raised like I did, and their play style, the way they enjoy the game is why I admire them so much.” Though Perlaza has been playing and following baseball for as long as he could remember, he didn’t play organized sports until he was eight because his parents couldn’t afford it. He described Twitter @SBCubs

his life in Venezuela as complicated, but very happy, receiving support and good values from his family through the good times and the bad. Though the rest of his family remains in Venezuela, they remain close and he visits whenever he can. The happy but humble beginnings motivated Perlaza to focus on sports and look for an outlet, and he found that joy in the game of baseball. When he was twelve, Perlaza realized that baseball was more than just an outlet and a game for him, it could even be a career. It was at that age when

South Bend outfielder Yonathan Perlaza celebrates after a grand slam home run against Fort Wayne. Credit: Casey McDonald he was recruited to the Jesus Barbosa Academy to develop and his skills. “Baseball was the only outlet I had as a kid, but it felt like the whole world was supporting me on my journey. I know that not everyone has this opportunity, there are a lot of kids that have the talent but not many have the chance to develop it like I did.” After a few years honing his skills at the academy, he began playing in La Liga Paralela, a Venezuelan professional baseball league that plays its games in the winter. Continued on page 2...

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ... Continued from page 1 As a teenager, he played in 22 games and slashed .269/.370/.346 with two home runs. With this kind of success at such a young age, Perlaza began to draw interest from multiple major league teams. The Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies pursued him, but he ultimately signed with the Cubs. He was one of five highly touted international signings in a class that Yonathan Perlaza included former watches a home run fly. South Bend Cubs Credit: Max Thoma Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Christopher Morel. He was signed at sixteen years old for 1.3 million dollars in August of 2015. At an age where most children are in high school, beginning to figure out their next steps in life, Yonathan Perlaza was set to move over 2500 miles away from his family and the life he knew in Venezuela to follow his dream of becoming a professional baseball player. As one of the newest members of the Chicago Cubs organization, his first stop in the states was, naturally, the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. “I was sixteen when I first came to the United States. It was so crazy to think that this is where baseball had brought me, from Venezuela to Wrigley Field. I got to meet Kris Bryant, Javy Báez, Anthony Rizzo, guys I had watched on TV that I now get to play with.” Of course, no one starts in the majors right away, and Perlaza began his professional career in the Dominican Summer League in 2016.

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Yonathan Perlaza at the plate on Opening Night (5/04/2021) Credit: Casey McDonald From the start, Perlaza showcased the skills that rated him among the best hitters of the international signing class of 2015, a group that included Vlad Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto. He had 19 extra base hits in 60 games in the DSL, including three home runs in his first year in the minor leagues. Since then he has been progressing level by level each year, reaching full season baseball last year with South Bend. Perlaza joined the Cubs in time for their Midwest League Championship run in the 2019 season after a successful beginning to the year in short-season Eugene. He hit .293 with the Emeralds in 2019, and improved his RBI and walk numbers upon his promotion to South Bend in mid-July in fifteen fewer at-bats. Continued on page 4...

Cubs outfield prospect Yonathan Perlaza on the basepaths against Dayton. Credit: Tim Reilly Facebook.com/SouthBendCubs


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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ... Continued from page 2 Hitting was always the highlight of Perlaza’s game, as he has hit above .250 in all but one of his first four seasons in the minors. But his fielding was always a part of his game that needed improvement. Perlaza was a middle infielder for the entirety of his baseball career, primarily at shortstop, but he played significant time at second base as well. After the 2019 season, the Cubs decided that a change needed to made to address that. In the offseason following the 2019 Perlaza runs the bases after a campaign, base hit against the Wisconsin Perlaza Timber Rattlers at Four Winds received an Field. Credit: Casey McDonald email saying he Cubs wanted him to switch from the infield to the outfield. “It came as a surprise to me, and I almost cried because my whole life I had always played in the infield.” Initially he thought the position change would lead to him getting cut, although those thoughts were short lived. Perlaza admitted that he hadn’t played as well as he would have liked, but he never thought he would play a different position, especially at this stage of his baseball career. Part of it was the need to improve his fielding, and also that the Cubs farm system was filled to the brim with rising stars in the infield. “I felt like I wasn’t playing my best in the infield. The Cubs thought I would become a better fielder if I moved to the outfield, and I just

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wanted to play.” So Perlaza spent a lot of his last two years training and learning a new position after four years in the minor leagues. The position switch turned out to be beneficial for Perlaza, as he has become a regular starter in his first season entirely played in full-season minor league baseball. Through the first two months of this season, played entirely as an outfielder, Perlaza has yet to commit an error. Still dedicated to learning the little details of his new position, Perlaza praises the Cubs for pushing this change, calling the adjustment made by the Cubs the best thing that could have happened. “I actually prefer the outfield now, compared to the infield it’s much easier. In the infield there’s a lot more to think about, more changes relating to who’s batting and what the coach wants you to do.”

Yonathan Perlaza readies for an incoming pitch against the Dayton Dragons. Credit: Max Thoma Instagram @SBCubs


JULY 2021 He admits that there is still a learning curve, that he is still in the process of learning little things and finer points of outfield play but the adjustment is going smoothly. And the adjustment certainly has not affected his game at the plate, as he has already surpassed his career high in home runs and is on pace to set career numbers across the board in his first taste of full-season ball. For Yonathan Perlaza, baseball isn’t just about the individual accolades and the desire to improve, it’s about having fun and enjoying the game. “Baseball is just so easy to enjoy. Everything I have today is because of God and through playing baseball. I have met so many important people in my life through baseball, and that just adds to my love of the game.” When any player gets to this level of professional baseball, it becomes ingrained in their lives and seem-

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ingly woven into their DNA. Whenever Yonathan Perlaza is on the field, you can feel his energy and hustle from anywhere in the ballpark, but don’t let his game face fool you, he plays with the joy of someone picking up a bat and glove for the first time. And with his goals of big power and a .300 batting average, the joy and excitement he plays with is a springboard to the next level. “Overall, I just want to have fun playing. With everything bad that has happened during this pandemic this game is fun, and not everyone has the chance to play it. To me that’s beautiful and I’m blessed to be here.” The nine-inning vacation is certainly not lost on Perlaza, but neither is his goal of making it to the big leagues. His journey to the majors will certainly not be a vacation, but the passion and pleasure that comes from his game will help him reach his goals.

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM

LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE Michael Ryan enters his first season as the South Bend Cubs Manager By: Max Thoma

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outh Bend Cubs Manager Michael Ryan grew up in a small town in western Pennsylvania about 45 minutes outside of Pittsburgh. He describes it as a tight knit community where everyone knows each other. Now finding himself in South Bend, Ind. it seems almost ironic that Ryan grew up in the town of Indiana, Pennsylvania. Like so many professional athletes, Ryan was a star in multiple sports in high school. “There was a couple of scouts that would show up to baseball games, the better I would play the more scouts that would come,” he said. “You know I was a really good football player as well so scouts would actually come to football games and basketball games too just to see the different kinds of things I could do.” The quantity of scouts at his baseball games rose drastically in his senior season. By the end of that spring campaign there would be nearly 20 pro scouts attending high school baseball games in a town of about 13,000 people. “About two weeks before the draft is when it really started to get serious,” Ryan said. “I started thinking this may really be a possibility… they’d have me stay after games and do workouts for them and things like that. It was a lot

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of great memories getting that level of attention.” But with the draft approaching and Ryan’s chances of getting picked relatively high in the draft seeming rather likely, the teenager still wasn’t sure about his route, because he had already committed to go play baseball and basketball collegiately at Auburn. Ryan wasn’t lying when he described his football prowess. See had Ryan elected to keep that initial commitment and head to Auburn, he would be joining a Terry Bowden coached Tigers team that was ranked in the top 25 of every AP poll in the 1995 season and started the season as the #6 team in the country.

Michael Ryan in the Cubs dugout as South Bend takes on the Fort Wayne Tincaps. Photo Credit: Casey McDonald (5/30/21) Ultimately, two days before he was going to head down to Auburn to play safety on the football field and snag a spot on the infield on the baseball diamond, Ryan decided to sign and go play pro baseball. The Minnesota Twins selected him in the fifth round of the 1996 MLB draft as an infielder, however he was eventually moved to the outfield, which he is more than happy to candidly joke about… “Yeah I got moved from the infield to outfield when I was in double-a, guess that just shows you what kind of infielder I was,” Ryan said with a chuckle.

Continued on page 8...

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ... Continued from page 6 He transitioned into more of a utility player which he says helped him in his climb to the big leagues. Ryan played in the minor league system for the Twins from 1996 through 2002. The Edmonton Trappers triple-a team he was a part of won the Pacific Coast League title at the end of that 2002 season. Shortly after their title the Edmonton Manager called in a group of 5-6 guys who were getting called up to the MLB. The Twins had already clinched the AL Central and now they were getting a chance to rest some everyday starters, providing an opportunity for guys who had proven themselves in triple-a; Ryan was one of those guys. “I wasn’t expecting it to be honest with you, I was the last guy to get called in. I had a pretty good year but I wasn’t on the 40-man so I didn’t expect that. So we were already celebrating from the championship and you know that just put icing on the cake.” What followed was one of stranger debuts in baseball history. Michael Ryan’s first-ever MLB game came in Detroit against the Tigers, and Minnesota’s offense got off to a rather hot start. The Twins put up nine runs in the first inning, Ryan scored two of those runs, drove in two more, and picked up two base hits in his first inning in the bigs. His next trip up to the plate came in the third inning and all he did was notch another base hit, drive in another run, and come around to score, again. In hist first three at-bats he went three-for-three with three runs scored and three RBIs. But what makes it strange is that if you look up this game you won’t find it. Statistically, it’s as if none of the players ever took the field. The Twins led 12-0 in the fourth inning when the rain came and washed

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away a stellar performance for Minnesota and what would’ve been a memorable debut for Ryan. The game was rained out and because Michael Ryan takes the field it was the last for the first time as Manager. time the Twins Credit: Casey McDonald were in Detroit, and it wouldn’t affect playoff seeding or who got in, the game was never continued and the stats did not count. Ryan would go on to play 15 years in professional baseball, five at the major league level. He played parts of the 20022005 season with the Minnesota Twins and appeared in 22 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2010. In 2003 he had a pinch-hit at-bat in the ALDS vs. Roger Clemens and the New York Yankees. He struck out on three pitches but says it was quite exciting to get the opportunity. After his playing days were over Ryan got his first coaching job in 2012 working as an assistant with the Altoona Curve, the double-a affiliate of the Pirates, close to his hometown. His first managerial job would come quickly the next year with the West Virginia Power. He led the low-a Pirates affiliate to a franchise record in wins in his debut season, finishing with a 82-58 record, earning him a promotion to Bradenton and the high-a club. In just his second season with the Marauders he guided them to a Florida State League title. To watch players mature and get better together over the course of a full season is special,” Ryan explained. “You know you can tell when you have a really tight knit group and guys that care about one another that you’re going to..." ... Continued on page 10 Facebook.com/SouthBendCubs


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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ...Continued from page 8 “...have success, it’s just a matter of can you play well at the right time to even get into a playoff race. And we just played really well at the end of the season and road that momentum.” In 2017 Ryan found himself back where his coaching career began, in double-a Altoona. This time he was the club’s Manager. It was a great situation to step into for him as he was able to live in Pittsburgh and commute to the park each day, occasionally bringing his kids and also getting to spend off days at home. And he had another tremendous debut season. His 2017 Altoona Curve team won the Eastern League crown in his first year. Despite the titles won as a player and as a manager multiple times, Ryan doesn’t like to dwell on his past success, for him it’s more about the players. “You know Minor League Baseball isn’t about the championships as much as it’s just about developing these kids and getting the chance to help them get that feeling of getting promoted to the next level. I just try to show up the same every day, let the player know how much I care about them and build that relationship so they have enough trust in me in order to listen to what I’m trying to teach and instill. And hey good players help, and we got a lot of that right here.” Ryan considers himself a player’s

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manager and goes about creating his own style. He says he takes bits and pieces from guys who managed him, like former Angels Manager Mike Sciosia, but that he has become his own guy. And in 2020 he took his talents to South Bend. With the 2020 season cancelled, he would have to wait until May 4, 2021 to make his debut. And like so many who have made it to Four Winds Field, he lauded the place. “You know we’re spoiled here, not just with the South Bend Cubs but the Chicago Cubs are just a first class organization. Before I got here I heard nothing but great things, the way they draw attendance, the facilities, the way the front office treats you, Andrew Berlin does everything that mirrors the big leagues and this is just the cream of the crop in high-a and I’m excited to be here.” He said May 4 almost felt like his first day in coaching again. The familiar sounds of batting practice and just hearing bat-to-ball made him feel like he was right at home. As for the goals for him and the club this season, Ryan was straightforward in stressing it’s about development. “I just want to come in and get better and learn every day, and I know that’s what the players are trying to do. I’ll know it’s a successful season if these guys have put everything together and are playing their best baseball at the end of year.”

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JULY 2021

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM

2021 SOUTH BEND CUBS COACHING STAFF Michael Ryan - Manager

Ryan is the manager the South Bend Cubs after joining the organization in 2020. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons as a manager in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, including 2017-2019 at the helm of Double-A Altoona. He led the Curve to the Eastern League championship in 2017, the first of twostraight campaigns with Western Division titles. A former outfielder, Ryan compiled a .258 batting average, seven home runs and 35 RBI in 149 major league games with the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels.

Tony Cougoule - Pitching Coach

Cougoule took over the pitching coach duties in South Bend after joining the Cubs organization in 2020. Previously, he coached in the same role at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA from 2010-2019, Southeastern Community College from 2008-2009, and Azusa Pacific University from 2006-2007. Cougoule played collegiate baseball at Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids, IA, earning team MVP and all-conference honors in 2003 and completing his master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University in 2007.

Paul McAnulty - Hitting Coach

McAnulty returned to South Bend to serve as the team’s hitting coach. In 2019, he helped guide the club to their fourth Midwest League Championship in the same role. Beginning his tenure with the Cubs organization as a South Bend assistant coach in 2018, McAnulty was a hitting coach in the Angels farm system from 2014-2016. A former outfielder, he appeared in five major league seasons with the San Diego Padres from 2005-2008 and Angels in 2010.

Eric Patterson - Assistant Hitting Coach

Patterson began his second year with the Cubs organization and assumes the duties of assistant hitting coach for South Bend. In 2019, he served as head coach of the Gwinnett Tides in the Sunbelt League (Georgia collegiate summer baseball). In 226 major league games, he batted .217 with 20 doubles, seven triples, 10 homers and 50 RBI. Patterson was selected by the Cubs in the eighth round of the 2004 draft out of Georgia Tech.

George Thanopoulos - Development Coach

Thanopoulos enters his first season coaching with the South Bend Cubs. He was a 26th round pick by the Colorado Rockies in the 2016 MLB draft and spent two years in the minors in 2016 and 2017, both with the low-a Boise Hawks. In two seasons he went 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 26 appearances out of the bullpen. He played college baseball in the Ivy League at Columbia and in 2014 was selected to the All-Ivy League second team.

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM

HIGH SCHOOL HERO TO CUBS CATCHER Bryce Windham’s route to South Bend By Max Thoma

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ryce Windham’s favorite sport to play has always been basketball. For a while now he has stated his goal after his professional baseball career ends is to become a college basketball coach, and every year during the offseason in the winter he goes back home and assistant coaches high school basketball alongside the head coach, his dad. “I really like the developing kids aspect of it,” Windham said. “Especially cause you get freshmen and sophomores that come in that don’t know that much about the game and I just love teaching them everything that I know.” His love of basketball, and quite frankly the recognition of his prowess as a player on the court, started at an extremely young age. When Windham was in third grade he was the ball boy for the Saint Mary Catholic Central varsity basketball team. During halftime he would go out on the floor and shoot threes, and he almost never missed. Just how good was he at that age? Well the kid from Monroe, Mich. remembers shooting so well during those halftime breaks that people in the crowd would actually start asking for him to sign autographs, hoping he could become a future star someday. Monroe has a population of less than

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20,000 people and Saint Mary Catholic Central’s enrollment is generally around just 400 students. So the buildup to the future high school basketball career of Bryce Windham was felt by the whole community. But when he got to high school it wasn’t just basketball where he excelled. Windham had the high school sports career every kid dreams of; in the fall he was the starting varsity quarterback, in the winter he was the varsity starting point guard, and in the spring time he started at shortstop for the Saint Mary baseball team. He actually almost quit both baseball and football to focus on basketball, but his father urged him to continue pursuing all three, and it more than paid off. The peak of Windham’s football career came in 2014 on the biggest high school stage and in his very last game on the gridiron. “The team we beat in the high school state championship my senior year, they were 69-0 and had the longest winning streak in the entire country,” said Windham. Continued on page 26...

Bryce Windham wallking up to the plate during opening week. (May 8, 2021) Instagram @SBCubs


FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ...Continued from page 24 eighth grade to pursue basketball. And “Ithaca hadn’t lost in five years. I I had already graduated when the Old remember when I was in eighth grade Dominion head coach came to watch me my high school played them in the state play and he offered me a spot.” championship game and I went with all Windham said he wanted to try of my friends to go watch and we lost something new, acknowledging that a heartbreaker. We all looked at each he didn’t have the highest ceiling as a other said ‘we’re not losing when we get six-foot-one point guard, and headed out there.” to Norfolk, Virginia after decommitting Ithaca didn’t lose a game after from Toledo. Windham watched them play in person Entering his first college baseball that night, winning season Windham five straight state was the third-string titles. And it was shortstop, and rather miraculous shortstop was the Windham’s team only position he even made it that played his entire far; it took a hail life. He had fewer mary from him on than 10 at-bats that a fourth and 11 freshman season. with little time on When sophomore the clock left to year rolled around win and stay alive Old Dominion picked in the postseason up another great Windham behind the plate at Four Winds Field. just a few games middle infielder in Photo Credit: Max Thoma (May 8, 2021) prior. Windham was Jared Young, who is named to the All-State team that year currently in the Cubs farm system as and finished his career as the all-time well playing with double-a Tennessee. passing leader at Saint Mary. So Windham knew he needed to make “I committed there and then I also himself more versatile and asked if he started getting some attention for basecould take some reps in the outfield. ball. I just honestly didn’t think I was Heralded as the Monarch’s “Swiss that great at baseball, truth be told. I Army Knife”, his ability to play different was really raw because I didn’t play positions (he played 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF, summer baseball, I stopped playing and RF that season) got him into 53 in the summer when I was like 13. I games that season, making 17 starts. actually quit baseball at one point in Continued on page 28...

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ...Continued from page 29 But then his junior year was entirely different. With most of the middle infield now gone Windham moved back to his home at shortstop and started 51 games, hitting .293 and getting on-base at a .405 clip, which led the team. It wasn’t until the summer before his senior season that Windham got a phone call from his head coach that would take his baseball career on a different path, one that would Photo credit: Ed McGregor eventually (May 8, 2021) lead him here to South Bend. Old Dominion had just cut both of their catchers, and with nothing but incoming freshman at the position, the question was posed, “Hey, have you ever

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caught before?” Windham hadn’t. He never caught in high school, never caught in a game growing up, in fact he had never actually put on the catcher’s gear in his entire life. But being the utility player that he is, he said he’d give it a shot. “So I show up to campus and the catching coach is showing me how to put on gear like I’m a 12-year-old, it was pretty comical,” Windham said. His pop-times behind the plate were stellar though, he had the quick feet of a kid who had always played shortstop, and he was getting a lot better at blocking balls in the dirt. Windham started the season behind the dish as the team’s catcher, but he did eventually move and played the majority of the season at third base. When the 2019 MLB draft came around, towards the end of his senior season, Windham heard his name called in the 32nd round; he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs, as a catcher.

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JULY 2021 “You know, I was a little nervous going into it, I mean going into professional baseball I had only caught a little over 10 games in my career, and these other guys have caught you know hundreds of games,” Windham said. “But the catching coaches we have with the Cubs are just fantastic and they really helped ease my way into it.” Another guy who has been super helpful when it comes to catching advice is P.J. Higgins. A former Monarch and Cubs catching prospect in his own right, Higgins made it up the big league level for his MLB-debut earlier this season. And the Old Dominion-to-Cubs connection doesn’t stop there. The Tennessee Smokies, the double-a affiliate of the Cubs has two former teammates of Windham in college, alongside Young is Connor Myers. A step below South Bend in low-a Myrtle Beach there’s Connor Myers who spent a fall season at ODU, and joining these very

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South Bend Cubs back on June 2 was Windham’s senior year roommate in Matt Burch. Windham is comfortable on a team and in an organization that seems rather loaded with guys he knows well. And early on in his pro career it’s his comfortability at the plate hitting with two strikes that he credit for his great success getting on base.

Photo credit: Casey McDonald (May 28, 2021)

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM ...Continued from page 26 As of writing this Windham’s on-base percentage in his pro career is .389, and in 35 games his rookie season in the Arizona League it was .459. He has more of an old-fashioned approach, a short compact swing with base hits being sprayed to all fields. In his rookie season 54% of his batted balls were hit the other way to left field. But there are flashes of power mixed in.

caught just 56 games in his entire life, which means there’s plenty of room to grow for a kid who has already impressed Cubs coaches in his short time in the farm system. And the kid from Monroe is still a big deal locally. The closest South Bend plays to Windham’s hometown is when they travel to take on Lansing. The two teams met at the start of June, and when Sunday rolled around the loudest cheers at Jackson Field weren’t for a player on the home team. Windham used his allotment of four tickets, plus 11 other players full allotment of tickets and brought 48 loud and proud Bryce Windham supporters to the game. I guess when you’ve been signing autographs since you were in third grade, it just comes with the territory.

Windham readies for a pitch vs. Quad Cities. Photo credit: Max Thoma (May 8, 2021) On May 30 of this season Windham launched his first career homer, a blast to right against the Fort Wayne TinCaps in front of the South Bend faithful at Four Winds Field. “It was unreal. I was rounding the bases and just thinking like wow, my parents are probably watching right now and thinking they cannot believe that I just did that.” The Cubs catching prospect has

Windham behind the plate on the second day of the season. Photo credit: Casey McDonald (May 5, 2021)

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM 5 Bradlee Beesley

OF

Full Name: Bradlee Low Beesley

Height: 5’10”

Born: Berkley, CA

Weight: 180

Resides: Berkley, CA

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 23

DOB: 2/21/98

Acquired: Signed as UDFA, 2020 by Cubs

Pro Exp.: R

Original: Signed as UDFA, 2020 by Cubs

College: Cal Poly

Year

Team

League

AVG

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

K

SB

CS

OBP

SLG

OPS

2017

Cal Poly

NCAA

.305

53

203

32

62

13

3

0

14

19

26

4

4

.376

.399

.775

2018

Cal Poly

NCAA

.277

57

224

33

62

13

0

3

33

17

33

8

1

.327

.375

.702

2019

Cal Poly

NCAA

.283

54

219

32

62

15

1

1

35

22

32

8

3

.351

.374

.725

2020

Cal Poly

NCAA

.262

16

65

15

17

4

1

0

9

7

12

1

0

.372

.354

.726

.286

180

711

112

203

45

5

4

91

65

103

21

8

.353

.380

.732

College Totals

25

Edmond Americaan

Full Name: Edmond F. Americaan

Height: 6’1”

Born: Willemstad, CW

Weight: 170

Resides: Willemstad, CW

B/T: L/L

Opening Day Age: 24

DOB: 3/26/97

Acquired: 35th round of 2018 Draft by CHC

Pro Exp.: 2

Original: 35th round of 2018 Draft by CHC

OF

College: Chipola Junior College

Year

Team

League

Level

ORG

AVG

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

K

SB

CS

OBP

SLG

OPS

2018

Cubs 1

AZL

R

CHC

.295

30

112

22

33

5

2

0

9

13

30

11

6

.373

.375

.748

2019

Eugene

NWL

SS-A

CHC

.282

66

255

38

72

17

5

4

32

19

65

16

7

.350

.435

.785

South Bend

MID

A

CHC

.160

8

25

0

4

1

0

0

0

3

9

0

0

.276

.200

.476

.278

104

392

60

109

23

7

4

41

35

104

27

13

.352

.403

.750

MiLB Totals

27

Jake Washer

Full Name: Jacob Scott Washer

Height: 6’0”

Born: Clearwater, FL

Weight: 220

Resides: King, NC

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 25

DOB: 2/23/96

Acquired: 29th round of 2019 Draft by CHC

Pro Exp.: 1

Original: 29th round of 2019 Draft by CHC Year

Team

League Level

2019

Cubs 2

AZL

Eugene

NWL

MiLB Totals

C

College: N/A

ORG

AVG

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

K

SB

CS

OBP

SLG

OPS

R

CHC

..250

1

4

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

.250

.250

.500

SS-A

CHC

.258

21

66

10

17

7

1

1

8

9

24

0

0

.347

.439

.786

.257

22

70

10

18

7

1

1

8

9

24

0

0

.342

.429

.770

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM 20

Jacob Olson

INF

Full Name: Jacob Palmer Olson

Height: 6'0”

Born: Snellville, GA

Weight: 200

Resides: Snelleville, GA

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 23

DOB: 5/21/97

Acquired: 26th Round of 2019 Draft by CHC

Pro Exp.: 1

Original: 26th Round of 2019 Draft by CHC

College: South Carolina

Year

Team

League

Level

ORG

AVG

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

K

SB

CS

OBP

SLG

OPS

2019

Mesa

AZL

R

CHC

.289

9

38

8

11

1

1

1

9

2

10

2

1

.349

.447

.796

Eugene

NWL

SS-A

CHC

.225

35

111

17

25

10

2

0

9

8

26

0

2

.293

.351

.644

.242

44

149

25

36

11

3

1

13

10

36

2

3

.307

.376

.683

MiLB Totals

28

Josue Huma

Full Name: Josue Huma

Height: 6'1”

Born: San Francisco de Macoris, D.R.

Weight: 175

Resides: San Francisco de Macoris, D.R.

B/T: S/R

Opening Day Age: 21

DOB: 3/17/00

Acquired: Signed as IFA, 2016 by Cubs

Pro Exp.: 3

Original: Signed as IFA, 2016 by Cubs

College: N/A

League Level ORG

INF

Year

Team

AVG

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

K

SB

CS

OBP

SLG

OPS

2017

DSL Cubs 2

DSL

R

CHC

.238

64

248

41

59

4

7

1

24

29

28

20

5

.318

.323

.640

2018

Cubs 1

AZL

R

CHC

.256

44

156

25

40

8

2

1

17

16

25

7

2

.322

.353

.674

2019

Cubs 2

AZL

R

CHC

.271

36

129

22

35

4

1

2

22

27

29

5

1

.400

.364

.764

South Bend

NWL

SS-A

CHC

.226

21

122

12

23

5

1

1

9

7

39

0

1

.248

.270

.519

.259

165

655

100

157

21

11

5

72

79

121

32

9

.240

.328

.650

MiLB Totals

40

Jake Slaughter

Full Name: Jake Slaughter

INF

Height: 6'3”

Born: West Monroe, LA

Weight: 200

Resides: West Monroe, LA

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 24

DOB: 10/24/96

Acquired: 18th Round of 2018 Draft by CHC

Pro Exp.: 2

Original: 18th Round of 2018 Draft by CHC

College: LSU

Year

Team

League

Level

ORG

AVG

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

K

SB

CS

OBP

SLG

OPS

2018

Cubs 2

AZL

R

CHC

.200

3

10

4

2

0

0

0

0

2

3

0

0

.429

.200

.629

Eugene

NWL

SS-A

CHC

.233

41

146

7

34

13

1

1

12

7

37

1

1

.287

.356

.643

Eugene

NWL

SS-A

CHC

.308

42

159

23

49

7

2

3

27

12

36

6

2

.372

.434

.806

South Bend

MID

A

CHC

.278

29

108

14

30

5

1

1

13

8

22

0

0

.331

.370

.701

.272

115

423

48

115

25

4

5

52

29

98

7

3

.335

.385

.720

2019

MiLB Totals

34

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM 6

Ryan Jensen

Year

Team

2019

Eugene

Weight: 190

Resides: Monterey, CA

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 23

DOB: 11/23/97

Acquired: 1st Round of 2019 Draft by CHC

Pro Exp.: 1

Original: 1st Round of 2019 Draft by CHC

College: Fresno State

League Level NWL

RHP

Height: 6'0”

Born: Monterey, CA

SS-A

ORG

W-L

ERA

G

GS

CG

SHO

SV

IP

H

R

ER

HR

HB

BB

K

CHC

0-0

2.25

6

6

0

0

0

12.0

7

3

3

0

2

14

19

0-0

2.25

6

6

0

0

0

12.0

7

3

3

0

2

14

19

MiLB Totals

16

Full Name: Ryan Austin Jensen

Samuel Reyes

Full Name: Samuel Reyes

RHP

Height: 5'11”

Born: Bajos de Haina, D.R.

Weight: 180

Resides: Bajos de Haina, D.R.

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 25

DOB: 3/13/96

Acquired: Claimed off Waivers from PIT, 2020

Pro Exp.: 3

Original: Signed as IFA, 2016 by Cubs

College: N/A

Year

Team

League

Level

ORG

W-L

ERA

G

GS

CG

SHO

SV

IP

H

R

ER

HR

HB

BB

K

2017

DSL Pirates

DSL

R

PIT

2-1

4.66

5

0

0

0

1

9.2

13

6

5

0

2

1

10

GCL Pirates

GCL

R

PIT

1-1

2.65

16

0

0

0

3

34.0

30

16

10

2

4

4

24

2018

West Virginia

SAL

A

PIT

4-3

2.72

18

2

0

0

3

43.0

41

15

13

1

3

13

36

2019

Greensboro

SAL

A

PIT

1-0

0.52

10

0

0

0

3

17.1

4

1

1

0

0

8

23

Bradenten

MID

A+

PIT

1-4

2.87

25

3

0

0

3

53.1

48

18

17

4

2

15

50

9-9

2.63

74

5

0

0

13

157.1

136

56

46

7

11

41

143

MiLB Totals

45

Bradford Deppermann

Full Name: Bradford Deppermann

Height: 6'0"

Born: Indianapolis, IN

Weight: 195

Resides: Indianapolis, IN

B/T: R/R

Opening Day Age: 24

DOB: 6/15/96

Acquired: 7th Round of 2019 Draft by CHC

Pro Exp.: 1

Original: 7th Round of 2019 Draft by CHC

RHP

College: North Florida

Year

Team

League

Level

ORG

W-L

ERA

G

GS

CG

SHO

SV

IP

H

R

ER

HR

HB

BB

K

2019

Cubs 2

AZL

R

CHC

2-0

2.45

3

0

0

0

0

3.2

4

2

1

0

0

1

4

Eugene

NWL

SS-A

CHC

0-1

4.50

4

0

0

0

0

8.0

9

5

4

1

0

4

9

2-1

3.86

7

0

0

0

0

11.2

13

7

5

1

0

5

13

MiLB Totals

36

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FIRST PITCH GAME PROGRAM

37

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