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MAY 2022

ICE KOHL'D

KOHL FRANKLIN'S JOURNEY FROM MRIS, EKGS, AND HEART MONITORS TO THE HEADLINER OF SPRING TRAINING By Max Thoma

n Sunday, April 10 the South Bend Cubs played their third game of the 2022 season. The club was 1-1 and ready to battle Quad Cities in a series finale rubber game. Game three of a 132-game schedule. But all eyes in the Cubs farm system were fixed on Four Winds Field that afternoon because on a clear 56-degree afternoon in north-central Indiana, Kohl Franklin was back on the mound. Three months before spring training started in 2021 Franklin was playing catch with Cade Cavalli, a first round pick by the Nationals in 2020 who grew up close to Kohl in Oklahoma. All of a sudden after a long toss the 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher felt something. “It felt like I had just gotten hit in the back with a golf club,” Franklin said. “I didn’t think it was going to be too bad but it just got worse and worse.” Franklin suffered a torn oblique. After receiving multiple platelet-rich plasma shots, injections that use a patient’s own blood cells to accelerate healing, he was able to overcome the injury and was well on his way to still participating in spring training. But after going through an EKG at Cubs

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Kohl Franklin making his first start of the 2022 season on April 10 vs. Quad Cities. Credit: Dr. Tim Reilly. camp Kohl got a call. Doctors informed him that he had Wolff Parkinson White (WPF) Syndrome. WPW is characterized by an extra signaling pathway between the heart’s upper and lower chambers that causes a fast heartbeat. It’s a fairly rare condition in which the most common sign is a heartbeat greater than 100 beats a minute, and episodes with an increased heart rate can occur at any time. “I had to wear a heart monitor for three months of that and I had to keep go doing stress tests at the heart doctor and it was really just feeling like one thing after another,” said Franklin. It was another big hurdle for Franklin, who keep in mind was placed on the Injured List on September 1, 2019 and hadn’t pitched in a game since then, as the 2020 Minor League Baseball season was cancelled due to COVID-19. Eventually the cardiologists said they were not concerned after the consistent monitoring of Franklin’s resting heartbeat.

CUBS CONNECTION GAME PROGRAM ... continued from previous page. Back to the mound. The right-hander from Broken Arrow, Okla. was finally back to throwing and worked his way toward eventually tossing live to hitters. But just two live mound sessions before he was scheduled to be sent to South Bend to join the Cubs high-A affiliate, another setback. The day after throwing Franklin felt a Franklin was the number one little pinch in prospect in Oklahoma while pitching for the Broken Arrow the back of his Tigers. right shoulder. Credit: Getty Images. He couldn’t get his arm back as far at it would normally go. “I started freaking out because the shoulder is literally the worst thing you can hurt,” said Franklin. “So I went and got an MRI and they found I had a Grade 2 subscap strain and… it just felt like one thing after another kept going, like a snowball effect. I remember I called my mom, I want to say the day I found out I wasn’t going to throw in the season, and I think I started crying to her.” Kohl wouldn’t pitch in a game in 2021. His arduous journey continued in Arizona with other Cubs prospects rehabbing from injuries, a group of guys he said brought tremendous energy and enthusiasm every day and are the reason he was able to get through getting his body back in playing shape. Let’s rewind. Scouts saw Franklin as a projectable right-handed pitcher, a 6-foot-4 kid at Broken Arrow High School. He possessed a low 90s fastball and a lanky build ripe with project-

ability. The potential for added muscle and velocity could turn him into a potential big-league starter. He was taken by the Cubs out of high school in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft and decided to forgo his commitment to Oklahoma and go play in the minors. After not pitching a whole lot in rookie ball in 2018, Franklin splashed onto the scene in 2019. In 10 starts with Eugene he allowed 10 runs, finishing with a 2.31 ERA when he was promoted to South Bend. Upon joining the Cubs in late August, he made one start; on August 31, 2019 Franklin tossed three hitless frames and allowed one earned run vs. Bowling Green.

Making his debut at Four Winds Field on August 31, 2019, Franklin tossed three hitless innings. Credit: Casey McDonald. It would be 953 days before he would pitch in another game. In between those games Franklin had a lot of people helping him in his corner. He’s been around the game for a long time, his father Jay is a baseball agent and his uncle Ryan a former MLB All-Star closer. During his battle back to the rubber Franklin rehabbed and got advice from big-leaguers like Kohl Stewart, Dylan Bundy, Jonathan Holder and Adrian

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CUBS CONNECTION GAME PROGRAM ... continued from previous page.

Kohl Franklin poses under the new Four Winds Field LED stadium lights for a promotional video hyping Opening Weekend. Credit: South Bend Cubs Productions. Houser. He said Holder would take him out to dinner and tell him he needed to crush his rehab, do the little things, stay positive and that there are no shortcuts if he wants to be successful. Franklin fought and fought. When no one was watching Franklin rehabbed. He lifted and did yoga, adding strength to the small muscles around his injuries while also adding tons of flexibility, explosiveness and mobility, especially with his hips. All that hard work paid off this spring. If the backfields of Cubs spring training were, say, Lollapalooza, Kohl Franklin’s name would have adorned the top of the lineup (step aside Metallica). That’s because the now

22-year-old possessed a fastball that sat 96-98 mph and topped out in triple figures. Cubs pundits and bloggers on social media could not get enough of what Franklin was showcasing. On a pleasant afternoon in South Bend in early April, in front of his family who hadn’t seen him pitch in two years and his girlfriend who had never seen him throw, Franklin made his return. “Always feels good to get back to what you love and get a chance to compete again,” he said. “It was really different not doing it for a couple of years and then stepping back into it, there was a lot of adrenaline and a lot of stuff going through your head, it’s hard to control. It was a grind for sure.”

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The first batter he faced that day from Quad Cities was Tyler Tolbert, a 24-year-old middle infielder from UAB; he struck him out swinging. He struck out the next batter swinging too. Then Tyler Gentry homered on a 2-1 fastball. It’s been a wild ride for Franklin these past few years and that roller coaster first inning back was a microcosm of his time in pro baseball.

Franklin walks back to the dugout on April 10, 2022 before making his comeback to the mound complete. Credit: Dr. Tim Reilly. off the field made him stronger and possibly even better than ever before. “Grind in the dark so you can shine in the light,” Franklin says. He’s back in the light now.

In Arizona, Franklin throws a live BP session to hitters for the first time since the injuries. Credit: Scott Changnon. MLB Pipeline ranks Franklin the Cubs number 12 prospect, but most that saw him this spring think he’s far better than that. 2022 promises to be a season that he’ll always remember, the year of the comeback. He’s finally back pitching on a mound in front of teammates, family and fans across the Midwest League. What Franklin accomplished

Throwing his last warm up toss, Franklin returns to the mound after 953 days since his last, live game. Credit: Dr. Tim Reilly.

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CUBS CONNECTION GAME PROGRAM

WICKS WORLD JORDAN WICKS WORKING TO JOIN LONG LINEAGE OF DOMINANT CHICAGO CUBS LEFTIES By: Brendan King

ordan Wicks does his homework, and not just the actual bookworm kind. The 2021 first-round selection of the Chicago Cubs and South Bend Cubs pitcher was a two-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team during his time at Kansas State. His business administration classes in college were just the tip of the iceberg of becoming one of the smartest young southpaws in baseball. Wicks is a student of the game, and he has built the foundation of his success on watching some of the greatest Major League left handed pitchers of all time. If you arrive to Four Winds Field early for games, you may notice a big man wearing number 34 on the back of his white jersey with the blue pinstripes all over. 34 is synonymous number in Cubs blue. Of course, Kerry Wood built the love for the number in Chicago, but Jon Lester defined it. It will not be long until a couple of 34 flags are hanging on the Wrigley Field foul poles. Wicks is hoping to make the number memorable in South Bend this summer. He looks a lot like Lester too. Big Jon was 6’4’’ and 250 pounds. After a winter and spring of committing to strength, Wicks is now a well-built 220 pounds and 6’3’’. Lester was one of the lefties that had Wicks thrilled to become part of the organi-

Jordan Wicks (right) alongside commissioner of baseball Rob Manfred (left). Credit: Major League Baseball zation that drafted him. Growing up in the state of Arkansas though, there aren’t a lot of options for Big League Ball-clubs to root for. So, he decided very early in his life to cheer on the Atlanta Braves. Being born in 1999, Wicks did not see Atlanta make their runs on the mound with the likes of Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux. A tall, hard throwing lefty immediately intrigued Wicks; former Vanderbilt Commodore and Braves first-rounder Mike Minor. “My first big league game was when I was 13 and we went to go see the Braves play Colorado at Turner Field,” Wicks said. “What a really cool park that was. I was a really big Chipper Jones fan, but Mike Minor was a lefty that commanded the ball to both sides and could really pitch. I just loved how he went about the game.” Wicks did not know it at the time, as he just became a teenager, but while sitting in the stands on that sweltering night in Atlanta, he would join Minor on the honor of becoming a Major League Baseball Draft first-rounder. Idolizing Minor is one thing, but Wicks’ mannerisms on the mound brings another lefty to mind. When Wicks made his professional debut at Four Winds Field for the South Bend Cubs

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... continued from previous page. last September, it was aired nationally on Marquee Sports Network. In a shutout inning, Wicks impressed the Chicago Cubs fan base and media alike and immediately gave hope for the future. But as I was calling that inning with Max Thoma, my mind simply could night decipher who Wicks reminded me of on the mound.

Andy Pettitte pitching in 1995 at Yankee Stadium. Credit: Getty Images Of course, it hit me after the game; Andy Pettitte. The way that Pettitte threw the baseball was the first indication. Wicks really hides the baseball well in both his wind-up and stretch deliveries. Secondly, while they conceal the baseball, both Pettitte and Wicks raise their right shoulder to the batter and do not give any hints on what’s coming next. Third, that’s exactly what makes them so nasty. Pettitte was known in New York and Houston for his big 12-6 curveball, but his changeup was just as lethal. For Wicks, his changeup has

made him famous in high school, the Big 12 Conference, and now the Chicago Cubs organization. The last dead giveaway, both of the lefties pick runners off base with ease and efficiency. “I’ve definitely seen some video of Pettitte and all lefties look at him by idolizing the pick-off move,” Wicks said. “Everybody talks about that. Just being able to mirror him and do some of the things that he did is awesome." The body of Lester, the mindfulness of Minor, and the characteristics Andy Pettitte. That’s what they call the full package. And it’s not hard to see why the Cubs have invested so much time and financial capital into the left arm of the former Wildcat. With such a mature and professional approach, a question that has to come up is his composure. How does Wicks stay so calm, cool, and collected on the rubber seemingly at all times? In high school, his Jordan Wicks pitching at Four senior season Winds Field in his pro debut in earned run September of 2021. Credit: Casey McDonald average was

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CUBS CONNECTION GAME PROGRAM

0.84. He added 126 strikeouts that year. In college, he took home plenty of honors, including 2021 All-Big 12 First Team and the Preseason Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. We already mentioned his pro debut, with was crafted with stone cold shutdown work. It’s all about the approach and preparation.

Wicks peers in to pick up the sign from the catcher in his first home outing of the 2022 season. Credit: Kayleigh Sedlacek “It was an exciting time and most of all I was ready to check off those boxes and get my first taste of pro ball,” Wicks said. “It was a bit of a load last year after a full college season, but it was fun to attack the hitters.” On that September evening in Downtown South Bend, Wicks struck out the first batter he ever faced. That was followed by two consecutive flyouts. Most of all, the big lefthander looked in control. Some much needed rest came after the 2021 season, and he prepared his body to be able to get right back at it this spring and summer. In his first outing of 2022, Wicks pitched the first game of a doubleheader versus the Fort Wayne TinCaps. It was quite the campaign debut for Wicks, who fired nearly four innings of scoreless baseball. “I felt really good about the first couple of starts,” Wicks said. “The changeup was really good and I thought the breaking balls

were okay. But on a chilly first couple nights pitching, I wasn’t surprised they were changeup driven outings. My expectation this year is to attack everybody. I want to take on every challenge head on and use the tools I have.” Even more impressive on his first few outings of 2022 was that Wicks went straight from 100 degree heat in Arizona every day of spring training, to fierce winds and cold temperatures in the Midwest League during April. As we chatted in the third base side dugout at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Wicks credited his time pitching in the state of Kansas for being able to put aside the weather conditions. He’s used to the any season at anytime feel in the Midwest. Wicks is obsessed with self improvement. A gamer, a competitor, a shutdown man, enjoy him at Four Winds Field while he’s here, as he could be on the fast track to Wrigley Field in the blink of an eye. “I feel like I’ve gained a lot of really good weapons since joining the organization and I’m pumped to showcase those,” Wicks concluded as he tossed a fresh baseball up and down in his left hand.

Jordan Wicks delivers his final warm up toss on September 5 in his only home start from 2021. Credit: Casey McDonald Facebook.com/SouthBendCubs

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2022 SOUTH BEND CUBS COACHING STAFF Lance Rymel - Manager

Rymel is in his first season as manager for South Bend Cubs after guiding the Rookie League Mesa Cubs in 2021. Rymel also managed the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League in 2021 and won the league title. This will be his seventh season as a coach or manager in the Cubs organization, where he also managed Single-A Eugene in 2019 following two seasons at the helm of the Cubs Dominican Summer League squad in 2017-18. He began his coaching career in 2016 following a three-year minor league playing career as a catcher.

Tony Cougoule - Pitching Coach

Cougoule is back for year two as the team’s pitching coach. Cougoule enters his third year with the Chicago Cubs altogether. 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 & completed his master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University in 2007.

Dan Puente - Hitting Coach

Puente is in his first season as the South Bend hitting coach. This marks Puente’s third season in the Cubs farm system; he was the hitting coach for low-A Myrtle Beach in 2021. Puente has been a hitting and catching instructor at Elite Baseball Training since 2012, a technology-infused baseball and softball instructional company created by the Cubs Director of Hitting Justin Stone. Puente also served as an associate scout for the Houston Astros and from 200812 was the Manager of Youth Baseball Initiatives for the Chicago White Sox.

D’Angelo Jiménez - Bench Coach

Jiménez is on the South Bend Cubs staff for the first time in his career and handles the bench coach duties. Lance Rymel coaches third base and Jiménez coaches first. He held the role of hitting coach for the DSL Cubs in 2021 and this will be his fifth season overall in the organization. Jiménez rose through the New York Yankees minor league system and spent eight years playing in the MLB from 1999 to 2007 with the Yankees, Padres, White Sox, Reds, Rangers, Athletics, and Nationals. He hit 36 Big League home runs and totaled 228 RBI.

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In baseball and in life, there’s only one day you’re in control of: today. We’re proud to support the South Bend Cubs as they work to make it one to remember. Contact Mike Plenzler Relationship Manager 574-252-0035 michael.plenzler@pnc.com pnc.com

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SOUTH BEND CUBS 2022 ROSTER

PITCHERS

MAX BAIN

HUNTER BIGGE

CHRIS CLARKE

BRADFORD DEPPERMANN

MANUEL ESPINOZA

JEREMIAH ESTRADA

KOHL FRANKLIN

DJ HERZ

JOE NAHAS

EDUARNIEL NUNEZ

NICHOLAS PADILLA

DANIEL PALENCIA

BAILEY REID

DALTON STAMBAUGH

DIDIER VARGAS

JORDAN WICKS

CALEB KNIGHT

JAKE WASHER

ED HOWARD

CATCHERS

PABLO ALIENDO

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FABIAN PERTUZ

SCOTT MCKEON

MATT MERVIS

LUIS VERDUGO

OUTFIELDERS

EDMOND AMERICAAN 22

BRADLEY BEESLEY

OWEN CAISSIE

ALEXANDER CANARIO

JORDAN NWOGU

YOHENDRICK PINANGO

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LANCE'S CHANCE

LANCE RYMEL BECOMES THE NEW SOUTH BEND CUBS MANAGER By Max Thoma

“

don’t think I’ve ever wanted to win a game so badly, that championship is just one game; winner takes all,” said Lance Rymel. He was describing the night that would provide him with the fondest moment, to this point, of his managing career. The Mesa Solar Sox, an Arizona Fall League team composed of prospects from the Cubs, Orioles, Blue Jays, A’s and Marlins, made the AFL title game last season. Led by a dominant Cubs prospect on the mound in Caleb Kilian, who tossed six perfect innings, the Solar Sox won the championship game in shutout fashion, 6-0. “Winning the Fall League… and doing what we did in that 31-game season was really cool and the best thing about it was the Cubs guys led the way,” said Rymel. “Andy Weber, [Nelson] Velazquez, [Ryan] Jensen, those guys were great and I don’t ever want to take winning for granted.” Rymel completed his sixth season as a coach or manager in the Cubs farm system that day. He’d spent those six years at the rookie levels in the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League, plus the then short-season Northwest League with Eugene. In all those years he’d amassed invaluable knowledge and experience with guys who would now be starting their seasons at higher levels. Meanwhile this past offseason the Cubs saw a shift in their full season minor league managerial staff. Last year’s South Bend Cubs

manager, Michael Ryan, got promoted to double-A Tennessee and left a vacancy in the Four Winds Field manager’s office. So who would they tab to fill Ryan’s shoes? I’m sure at this point in the story you know the answer. The Cubs chose 31-year-old Lance Rymel, who is far and away the youngest manager of a full season affiliate in the Cubs organization: Buddy Bailey in Myrtle Beach is 65, Michael Ryan in Tennessee is 44, and Marty Pevey in Iowa is 59. The AFL title supplanted Rymel as a young up-and-comer in the Cubs organization. A system he’s quite familiar with, and not just from his time coaching. After graduating from Broken Arrow High school in Oklahoma in 2008, Rymel went on

Cubs Manager Lance Rymel jogs out of the dugout over Opening Weekend at Four Winds Field. Credit: Dr. Tim Reilly. to play collegiately at Seminole State College and then returned to his home state to play at Rogers State University. His team at Seminole State reached the JUCO World Series and at Rogers State they lost the NAIA World Series title game. Not too long after his final collegiate game he discovered his playing days

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MAY 2022

SOUTH BEND BASEBALL GREAT TASTE. 96 CALS.

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CUBS CONNECTION GAME PROGRAM ... continued from previous page. weren’t over yet. In the 28th round of the 2012 MLB Draft the Cubs selected catcher Lance Rymel.

Lance Rymel is introduced at the Arizona Fall League Championship on November 20, 2021. Credit: Rich Biesterfeld. Then a 22 year old, Rymel toughed it out in the minors from 2012-2014, reaching as high as a couple appearances in AAA-Iowa. Along the way he took note of what made people successful, and not just the players. “I had a lot of the managers that are still managing for the Cubs, I played for Marty Pevey in Iowa, I played for Buddy Bailey in Tennessee, I played for Mark Johnson in Boise,” Rymel stated. “So a lot of those guys are still around and I watched a lot of what they did when I played and picked what I like from them in what they did and that’s kind of

how I got my manager career started.” Now the former catcher is paving his own way in what will be literally the longest season of his managerial career with the step up to a full slate schedule of 132 games in high-A ball. He’s doing so with a roster of guys he knows well; Fabian Pertuz was his shortstop in the DSL in 2018, Edmond Americaan was with him in the Dominican, guys like Chris Clarke, Kohl Franklin, Caleb Knight and Jake Washer were with him in Eugene, and the list goes on. That’s not to mention the fact that the South Bend Cubs roster is loaded. After Jordan Nwogu joined the team amid their first road trip in Fort Wayne in the middle of April, South Bend now rosters 10 of the top 30 prospects in the Cubs farm system (per MLB Pipeline’s rankings). Four of those top prospects are in the starting rotation. “There’s a lot to be asked of these guys which is great because they take every challenge head-on,” said Rymel. “The challenge really is that a lot of these guys lost a lot of time and A-Bs to covid. So Rymel poses for his headshot during the biggest challenge is media day at Four just they need to play and Winds Field. get more at-bats, innings Credit: Dr. Tim on the mound and stay Reilly. healthy.” The goal at any level of any sport is to win, but in Minor League Baseball the key

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... continued from previous page. for every individual player is to continue to improve and develop. Lance Rymel knows what it takes to grind away and improve and get rewarded with a promotion to the next level of the minors. He’s gone from chasing promotions to handing them out to players, a

CUBS CONNECTION GAME PROGRAM hear him describe what makes catchers great coaches, it just seems fitting he got his start helping out guys on the Injured List. “We’re selfless people, we think about ourselves last so whatever we can do to help anybody in any situation we do, and I think a lot of people respect that and that’s why were managers because we like to help as many people as possible,” said Rymel. The Chicago Cubs have seen his work ethic as a player, a coach, and a manager and they’ve continued to put more and more faith in a man whose career is still just scraping the surface of what is to come down the road.

Lance Rymel going out to the mound to make a pitching change during the first series of the season vs Quad Cities. Credit: Dr. Tim Reilly. part of the job he says is the most rewarding when you get to call a kid into the office and tell him he’s moving up. When Rymel first started his coaching career he was a rehab coach in Arizona, hitting fungos and catching bullpens for injured players. Now he’s joined a long line of former catchers that are now managers within the Cubs organization, and when you

Rymel pencils in the lineup for game 2 of the 2022 season. Credit: Dr. Tim Reilly.

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SOUTH BEND CUBS SEASON SEAT HOLDER OF THE MONTH

Aubrey Ginzer - Koorsen Fire & Security

Tell us about your company. What does your company do? We protect life & property by providing fire protection inspections, installations, security monitoring, CCTV and access control. What is your favorite thing about Four Winds Field? I appreciate the family atmosphere and of course, THE FOOD! How long have you been in business in the area? Koorsen Fire & Security of South Bend has been serving the Michiana area since 2009. However, Koorsen Fire & Security has been in business throughout the Midwest for over 75 years! How does your company use their tickets? We use our tickets to treat our customers to a game or for employees to enjoy with their family. How long have you been a season seat holder and what brings you back to Four Wind Field each year? We have been sponsoring Four Winds for over 7+ years. What is your favorite food item at Four Winds Field? The seats we have are GREAT! We also enjoy the special perks that come from being seat holds. How has your company benefited from working with the South Bend Cubs? Being a South Bend Cubs sponsor has allowed us to become more involved in our community.

SOUTH BEND CUBS GROUP OUTING OF THE MONTH

Laurie Mills - Big C Lumber Company, Inc.

What does your company do? We are an independent lumber dealer and have 16 locations with 3 manufacturing facilities servicing Indian, Michigan, and Ohio. We have a strong company culture with a focus on family. What is your favorite thing about Four Winds Field? Great atmosphere for families. Lots to do and the park is always clean! How long have you been in business in the area? Over 100 years What is the purpose of your group outing at Four Winds Field? Employee appreciation event to get our families together. We've been doing these group outings for more than 20 years and has always well well attended. Do you think you could strike out Stu? Not a chance. He’s a professional. Who would win in a hotdog eating competition? Stu, Swoop, or Mark McGill? Stu. And like I said, he’s a professional and Swoop’s beak might get in the way. :-) Who would run the bases faster Stu or Swoop? Stu, he wears running shoes so he would have an advantage. How has your organization benefited from working with the South Bend Cubs? We’ve always had good communication between the group contact and me as the organizer. As we’ve grown over the years, it gets harder to get us all together. I appreciate your professionalism and organization for group events. Our employees look forward to this event every year!

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