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Rematch of 2022 Midwest League Championship Series set between Cubs and Captains

By Brendan King

June 17, 2024

Anytime the South Bend Cubs and Lake County Captains match-up, there will always be some history attached to the series. After dueling in the 2022 Midwest League Championship, which went to the Cubs in three total games, winning a decisive Game 3 on the road in Eastlake, Ohio, the Cubs

This time, Lake County already has their ticket punched for the Midwest League Postseason. The Captains are the first-half East Division Champion. They clinched last week against West Michigan. For the Cubs, they will play out the final three days of the first half, and then turn their attention for half number-two.

Of course, in both the 2019 and 2022 Midwest League title seasons, South Bend entered the postseason by clinching a second-half playoff bid. If they have their eyes set again on mid-September baseball, that’s going to have to be the case again.

There’s a lot to like about what the Cubs are doing. Until last week at Peoria, South Bend had won three straight series. They are piecing together their best baseball of the season over the last month or so. And again, after the first three games against Lake County, starting on Friday, it’s go time.

When it comes to the 2022 championship, most, if not all players involved in this series had no part in that three-game battle out in Ohio. For South Bend, only Jordan Nwogu and Casey Opitz were at the yard that night and a part of the celebration.

Still, the history between these two is always fun to look back on. And for Lake County, they’re looking for a little revenge the rest of the way as they shoot for a title.

We will see left-hander Parker Messick on the mound twice this week for the Captains. That includes the series opener on Tuesday and the finale on Sunday. The second-rounder Messick was drafted out of Florida State in 2022, and has posted a very good 3.48 ERA in 12 starts this season. It won’t be his first time seeing South Bend, however, as he pitched at Four Winds Field last year after being called up from the Carolina League.

Against the Cubs on August 9 last season, Messick earned a win in five scoreless innings with three hits allowed, one walk, and a career high 11 strikeouts. It was one of three times last year where he struck out 10 or more, and in the next start after South Bend he punched out 10 Peoria Chiefs. This guy has got some juice.

The Captains bullpen has also done a nice job carrying Lake County to victories this season. Right-hander Jay Driver has not allowed a run over his last five outings, and takes a 0.46 ERA into this series at South Bend. Driver, a former Harvard man, has been one of the more dominant relievers this season across the circuit. Also righty Magnus Ellerts also has surrendered no runs over his last five outings, and has six saves.

At the plate, former Guardians seventh-rounder Alex Mooney had a strong week against West Michigan, going 7/21 at the plate with two RBI and three stolen bases. Mooney is a former college teammate of former South Bend Cubs Matt Mervis and Adam Laskey at Duke.

Lake County already punched their playoff ticket, it will be interesting to see how many of their big prospects hang around in the Midwest League, or if any will get the quick call-up to Double-A Akron.

Players to Watch on South Bend…

Brett Bateman, CF: For the first time in a little while, South Bend will have their lead-off man back at home. Brett Bateman was activated from the Injured List to begin the prior road series at Peoria, and he wasted little time picking up his first base hit in his return on the first pitch he saw last Tuesday. You have to love the aggressiveness of South Bend lead-off hitters all year. Consistently, Bateman has attacked the first pitch of his at-bats when he knows he’s getting a hittable fastball. Reivaj Garcia has done the same thing on many occasions, and so has Rafael Morel. Having Bateman back puts South Bend’s lineup back to a nice even layer. Bateman first, Pedro Ramirez second (plus his 26-game on base streak), and Jefferson Rojas third. That’s how it was in the first month, and it’s how the lineup looks as we creep towards the month of July too. Plus, Bateman plays an exceptional center field. Whether it’s Bateman, Kevin Alcántara, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cole Roederer or whoever, South Bend’s center field has been a no fly zone for four or five years running with how quality of defense we have seen played out there. Getting Bateman back just in time for the second half feels massive.

Jose Romero, RHP: The big right-hander was arguably the best bullpen arm last season at Low-A Myrtle Beach. Romero absolutely made life not enjoyable for Carolina League hitters, and he was supposed to be part of the Spring Breakout Cubs team in Arizona back in March against the White Sox if it was not postponed. Romero’s stuff is electric, it’s just a matter of control. And the control has come at a terrific rate over the last few weeks. In his last nine innings, Romero has 13 strikeouts, batters are hitting .107, and he also has two wins in that time along with a save. This is the guy where you can circle him and say if he has a dynamic second half, South Bend is going to be tough to beat in the late innings. Romero’s slider is one of the best in the entire organization. We are talking Jake Reindl, Cade Horton, and Zac Leigh level. It’s disgusting. Pair that with a fastball in the upper 90s, and if Romero is on, he’s not getting touched. We’ll see how he approaches this series vs Lake County and if he can continue the nice wave he’s on.

Ed Howard, INF: Ed Howard, beast mode. Credit Max Thoma for this one, since May 24, Howard is batting .415 with a .975 OPS. We have told you, give Ed the time needed to work back from that injury. It was one that could derail an entire career, let alone just a season. Howard’s glove has never waned, he’s as smooth as ever out at shortstop or second base, or even third, and the bat is following. The line drive contact has been the big step in the first half. Now that’s there. Now it’s a matter of driving the baseball. Home runs. It’s all a part of the journey. He feels good physically, mentally, and in every sense of the word. I asked him last week if he was really starting to lock in. And he responded simply, that he is blessed to be playing. That’s the right approach. Ed Howard is going to tap into the first-round pick talent. He’s in the process of doing so. Don’t sleep on it either, he’s still only 22 and is making it happen. He’ll be a huge factor on where South Bend goes the rest of the way.

Schedule and Probables…

Tuesday, June 18 - 7:05 PM ET: LHP Parker Messick vs RHP Will Sanders

Wednesday, June 19 - 7:05 PM ET: RHP Zach Jacobs vs RHP Ty Johnson

Thursday, June 20 - 7:05 PM ET: RHP Carter Spivey vs. RHP Aaron Perry

Friday, June 21 - 7:05 PM ET: RHP Trenton Denholm vs. LHP Drew Gray

Saturday, June 22 - 7:05 PM ET: RHP Austin Peterson vs. RHP Sam Armstrong

Sunday, June 23 - 2:05 PM ET: LHP Parker Messick vs. RHP Will Sanders