Feature photo of Riley Martin by Stephanie Lynn

What I’m Reading

• Ken Schultz talked about our guy Ethan Roberts and why cool stories and guys that are easy to root for are the real reason you should continue cheering for the Chicago Cubs day-in and day-out.

• Jimmy continued his Game of the Week feature with an incredible Pelicans walk-off, one of three during their home opening week of games!

• There’s just something about Blake Whitney that catches my eye. I’m glad Todd gave him his own little write-up here at NSB.

What I’m Watching

• If you can’t see the dude’s arm whip across his body during his delivery, that’s good arm speed. Luis Devers could be pretty dang good.

• Arm strength doesn’t make a bad defensive outfielder good, but great arm strength DOES make a decent defensive outfielder good. Nelly’s got the arm strength thing covered.

• Jared Young currently leads the system with five homers. He can flat out rake and is really trying to state his case that he belongs in the first base conversation with Alfonso Rivas.

• I gave Bryce Windham some defensive love last week and I’m doing it again here. He’s a freak athlete and has been showing out behind the dish so far this season.

What We’re Tweeting

• I’m cheery enough typically, right? Time for some frustration. The MiLB app is one of the worst I have on my phone. It’s basically just a platform to send you to webpages as opposed to a fully self-functioning app and it crashes nearly every time I open it.

• Dixon Machado is the prime example of a guy that’s too good for Triple-A but just hasn’t quite put it together in the bigs, whether it’s because of lack of opportunity or results.

• This stat has obviously since been updated, but Bryce Ball still has a one of the best strikeout rates in the system. Definitely not something you’d expect from a guy his size.

• DJ Herz is deploying the same exact strategy he did in 2021 and getting the same results in 2022.

• I gave you guys a little look into the…interesting performance last week from Kohl Franklin. It was quite the journey.

• It must have been a thread kind of week from me. I also gave some extended thoughts on the roster maneuvering the Cubs did including with a few prospects.

• Lol Riley Thompson, stop it, you’re being ridiculous.

• Riley Martin has been arguably the best pitcher in the entire system this year. His last two outings are literal video game numbers. He’s obviously WAY too good for Myrtle Beach and I’m loving him working as a piggybacker.

What’s Catching My Eye

• After a pretty brutal 3-game start to the season, Brennen Davis has really turned it on. I don’t expect that to stop any time soon.