Pedro Ramirez, the 22-year-old infielder from Temblador, Venezuela whose outstanding play in spring training caught the attention of the Cubs, was named International League Player of the Month by Minor League Baseball (MiLB).
Through Sunday, the switch-hitting Ramirez has posted a .312/.381/.584/.965 slash line for the Iowa Cubs, with 8 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts.
The 5-foot-9 Ramirez, who has split his time between playing third base (17 starts) and second base (11 starts), in one month has matched his season high in home runs in five previous seasons of minor-league ball.
“I’m really happy for Pedro,’’ Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday. “He had a wonderful spring.
“…He was the player that the other players talked about. There is always ‘that guy’ in spring training, and to go see him back it up in the first month of the season that’s pretty cool. He’s a big leaguer. He’s going to be a good big leaguer. He’s got a really good head on his shoulders, really good baseball intelligence, so it’s great to see him off to a good start and really taking another step.’’
On the high-Class A level, South Bend Cubs right-hander Brooks Caple was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Month. The 23-year-old Caple, a ninth-round pick out of Lamar (Tex.) University, held opposing hitters to a .179 average while striking out 24 and walking 3 in 18 2/3 innings.
Earl Weaver would be proud
The Cubs have hit eight three-run home runs this season. They have won all eight of those games. The latest was Seiya Suzuki’s 455-foot home run off Reds rookie Chase Petty in the fourth inning Monday night. The home run was the second longest of Suzuki’s career with the Cubs, four feet shy of the 459-foot blast he hit in Wrigley Aug. 1, 2024 against Sonny Gray of the Cardinals. An odd coincidence about those two home runs: Gray and Petty were traded for each other when the Twins sent Petty, a former No. 1 draft choice, to the Reds for Gray in 2022.
Moises Ballesteros has hit the Cubs’ only grand slam to date. They lost that game.
By the way, Monday night’s game went into the books under “wind blowing out.” The Cubs have the best home record in the majors at 15-5, 8-1 when the wind is blowing out.
“Alligator Arms”
Reds center fielder Dane Myers told reporters he “kind of alligator-armed” Pete Armstrong’s drive to the center-field wall before he hit the ivy.
“That’s one I like to make for my pitchers,’’ Myers said. “It’s a tough one not to make.’’
Crow-Armstrong empathized with Myers.
“It’s tough,’’ Crow-Armstrong said of navigating the wind, the vines and the wall. “He’s a really good center-fielder, too. I think the hardest part sometimes for someone coming in as an opposing player is not being used to the size and having as much space to roam. It’s a pretty nice (?) Wall to run into and Dane likes to do that, and he’s really good at playing balls off the wall. So I guess sometimes it’s tough when you know there’s break and all that, but it’s just a tough place to play. And I really respect Dane as an athlete, too. So I’m sure he makes that catch the next time.’’