It’s Tuesday evening here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall air. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We have a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you for your pick for Cubs Minor League Player of the Year. Will 66 percent of the vote, you went with 19-year-old outfielder/first baseman Josiah Hartshorn. Catcher Owen Ayers got 29 percent.
On Tuesday night, I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz so let’s do that now.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great saxophonist John Coltrane. Tonight we have Trane performing “Alabama” in 1963. Coltrane never actually told anyone why or about what he wrote this song, but everyone believes that it was his response to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Alabama by the Ku Klux Klan that killed four young Black girls. Clearly the song has a dirge-like quality to it.
Coltrane is joined here by McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums.
Welcome back from the music.
Since yesterday we voted on the Cubs Minor League Player of the Month, it only seems reasonable to vote on the Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The Cubs official award is named after Vedie Himsl, who was a part of the Cubs coaching staff, scouting staff or front office from the mid-fifties until 1999. Himsl was also one of PK Wrigley’s “College of Coaches” experiment in 1961, managing the Cubs to a 10-21 record.
No one would dispute that the strength of the Cubs’ farm system is with their position players. Some of the better prospects coming into the season were either hurt or were ineffective this year. But there were some pitchers who emerged this year to put themselves on the prospect map.
It should also be remembered with both the hitters and the pitchers, the minor league ball was flying this year at levels Double-A and below. In the Southern League, offense was up 28% over 2025 this year. In the Midwest League, it was up 24 percent and the Carolina League increased by 17 percent. In contrast, the International League was only up four percent over 2025.
So with that said, here are my candidates for the Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Left-hander Jackson Brockett: Normally I wouldn’t consider a reliever for this award, but Brockett did pitch 79 innings in his professional debut and a good chunk of his appearances were for three or four innings.
Brockett, 23, was signed as a non-drafted free agent early this year after a four-year career at Nebraska. He started in Myrtle Beach where he did not allow a run over 14.2 innings over five relief appearances. That got him promoted to High-A South Bend where he didn’t allow many runs either. Brockett totaled 50.1 innings over 17 appearances and went 7-2 with a 1.79 ERA. He then made five appearances with Double-A Knoxville where he had three good appearances and two bad ones, which left him with a 6.43 ERA for the Smokies
If you add up the three levels, Brockett went 9-3 with a 2.28 ERA. In the 79 innings, he struck out 85 and walked 27.
Right-hander Brooks Caple: Caple, 24, was a ninth-round pick out of Lamar in 2024. He made five starts for South Bend and dominated, going 3-1 with a 2.49 ERA. That got him promoted to Double-A Knoxville, where Caple made 16 starts and one six-inning relief appearance. Caple went 4-4 with a 3.24 ERA for the Smokies.
Between the two levels, Caple threw 107.2 innings and posted a record of 7-5 with a 3.09 ERA. Caple struck out 108 and walked 31. He held opposing hitters to a .217 average.
Left-hander Pierce Coppola: Coppola was a seventh-round pick last year out of Florida. He pitched eight innings for Low-A Myrtle Beach last year and returned there to start the season. He went 0-5 for the Pelicans, but he posted a solid 3.60 ERA over ten starts and 40 innings. He didn’t miss a beat after his promotion to South Bend. Coppola pitched 35.1 innings over nine appearances and went 1-3 with a 3.31 ERA.
Between the two levels, Coppola pitched 75.1 innings and had a record of 1-8 with a 3.46 ERA. He struck out 86, walked 31 and held opposing hitters to a .200 batting average.
Right-hander Dawson Netz: Netz, 26, is another undrafted free agent, this time out of Arizona. He originally signed with the Orioles, but didn’t pitch for them in 2024 before signing with the Cubs before last season. After pitching for three levels last year, Netz spent the entire season this year in Knoxville. He made 17 starts and seven relief appearances, totaling 85.2 innings. In that time, Netz went 7-4 with a 2.94 ERA. Netz struck out 103 and walked 35. He held opposing hitters to a .170 batting average.
So who is your pick for the Vedie Himsl Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year?
Thanks everyone for stopping by. We’re always happen to see you. Please get home safely. Call a ride if you need one. Please recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.
