CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 5: Kevin Alcntara #13 of the Chicago Cubs bats in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on June 5, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesCatcher Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Week.Outfielder Josiah Hartshorn was named Midwest League Player of the Week.The Cubs acquired right-hander Yosver Zulueta from the Mariners for cash. Zulueta joined Triple-A Iowa.Right-handers Ryan Jensen and Zac Leigh were demoted from Triple-A Iowa to rookie ball ACL Cubs. Thats (I assume) a technical move that allows them to work in the Cubs pitch lab in Mesa.Right-hander Vince Reilly joins Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.Iowa shortstop Scott Kingery went on the temporarily inactive list.Right-hander Emilio Ramos went from the ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach. I dont normally mention Mondays ACL Cubs game, but right-hander Jaxon Wiggins threw the first two innings in that game in a rehab assignment. Everyone won except Knoxville, who was the one team that needed to win. Iowa CubsThe Iowa Cubs beat Indianapolis (Pirates), 13-7.Another rough start for Jordan Wicks, who got tagged for six runs on nine hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked no one.Tyler Beede pitched the next two innings, didnt allow a run, and got the win. He didnt allow a hit, but he did walk one while striking out three.Left fielder Kevin Alcntara hit a solo home run off of Jos Urquidy in the third inning. It was The Jaguars 16th home run this season. Alcntara was a perfect 3 for 3 with a double, the home run and two walks. He also stole a base. Alcntara scored three times and had two runs batted in.DH Christian Bethancourt hit his sixth home run of the year with a man on in the fourth inning. Bethancourt was 3 for 4 with a two-run double and the home run. He had the four RBI.Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 5 with a steal. He scored twice.Second baseman James Triantos went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and one run scored.First baseman Jonathon Long was 2 for 5 wth an RBI double in the fifth. He scored twice.DH Chas McCormick was 2 for 4 with a walk. McCormick scored twice and drove in one run. An RBI double for Bethencourt.Bethancourt doubles home a run! pic.twitter.com/3c9mhxBNRf Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 17, 2026The blast by The Jaguar went 432 feet.16th home run of the season for Kevin! pic.twitter.com/YNr2G42mX8 Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 17, 2026Bethancourts home run.Bethancourt hits his sixth homer of the season! pic.twitter.com/Srsl2L7HJ4 Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 17, 2026An RBI double for Long.Jonny Long doubles home a run! pic.twitter.com/6gReq08rsJ Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 17, 2026An RBI double for BJ Murray. Murray was 1 for 4 with a walk.BJ Murray drives in our 13th run of the night! pic.twitter.com/6AilHTMa4x Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 17, 2026Knoxville SmokiesThe Knoxville Smokies were extinguished by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 5-3. The loss moves Knoxville and Chattanooga into a first-place tie in the division.Connor Schultz started and took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. Two of the three runs were unearned. Schultz struck out six and walked just one. Right fielder Alex Ramrez connected for a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was his eighth on the year. Ramrez was 1 for 3 with two walks.Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 4 with a double and he scored one run.Catcher Ariel Armas had a two-run single in the sixth. He went 1 for 4.DH Owen Ayers was 0 for 3 with a walk and one run scored. This snapped his streak of ten-straight games with at least two hits.A great throw from Armas.Ariel Armas cuts down his 27th runner of the season, the most in Double-A pic.twitter.com/g4wPhhUIWi Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 17, 2026The Ramrez home run.Alex Ramirez gets the scoring started with his 8th big fly of the season pic.twitter.com/FQrQIetK7M Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) June 17, 2026South Bend CubsThe South Bend Cubs cracked the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 4-3.Starter Kevin Valdez gave up three runs, all in the bottom of the second, over four innings. Valdez surrendered four hits and walked two. He struck out five.Ft. Wayne did not have a hit after the second inning. Ben Johnson pitched the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and only allowed one baserunner, a hit batter in the seventh. That runner was promptly thrown out trying to steal. Johnson struck out one and got the win.Grayson Moore entered the game with a man on third and two outs in the eighth. He got a strikeout to end that threat and retired all four batters he faced for the save. He struck out three of them.Third baseman Matt Halbach went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a solo home run in the sixth inning. It was Halbachs fifth home run of the season. Halbach scored three times.DH Miguel Useche was 2 for 4 with an RBI groundout and an RBI single in the top of the eighth that put South Bend up 4-3. Left fielder Jose Escobar was 2 for 4 with a double.Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the second inning.Halbachs home run.Game-tying @hoosierlottery home run, Matt Halbach!#SBCubspic.twitter.com/3GReKsUfha South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) June 17, 2026Myrtle Beach PelicansThe Myrtle Beach Pelicans egged the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles), 12-4.Braylon Myers pitched the first four innings without allowing a run. He surrendered three hits. He walked one and struck out two.Daniel Avitia pitched the next three innings, gave up four runs and got the win because Myers didnt pitch five innings. Avitia allowed the four runs on three hits and three walks. That includes a three-run home run. Avitia struck out two.Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy was 2 for 5 with an RBI double.Catcher Logan Poteet went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored three times.First baseman Michael Carico was also 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Carico also scored three times.Right fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.Third baseman Yahil Melendez went 1 for 2 with a double and three walks. Melendez scored two runs and had two RBI.RBI double for Yahil Melendez.The party has started, thanks Yahil. pic.twitter.com/Ln328TRG2f Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) June 16, 2026RBI double for Lumpuy was almost a carbon copy.RBI double from Lumpuy extends the lead!! pic.twitter.com/dFcPw9qgmT Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) June 17, 2026ACL CubsBeat the Athletics, 9-6.Brody McCullough pitched his first game since May of 2024. He gave up two runs over two innings, but the important thing was that he pitched.