Cubs farmhand news: Aaron Bummer and Liam Hendriks help Iowa, while Hartshorn and McGwire earn Futures Game spots

A fresh Cubs signing made noise in the system, and the franchise’s prospects were visible on the national stage as South Bend’s Josiah Hartshorn and Mason McGwire were named to the Futures Game roster.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Chicago Cubs’ minor league slate delivered a split story of timing and talent on Wednesday, with Iowa getting notable bullpen help from two veteran arms and South Bend sending players onto a broader spotlight. Aaron Bummer and Liam Hendriks both made their Cubs debuts in the Iowa game described in the wrap, contributing in late innings as Iowa played host to Columbus.

According to the report, starter Doug Nikhazy struggled early, failing to get past the first inning after allowing five runs on two hits and four walks while retiring only one batter, though that one out came via a strikeout. Iowa’s path through that hole then shifted to the back end, where Bummer worked the sixth inning against four batters and retired three of them, with the other batter reaching via a solo home run. Hendriks followed in the bottom of the seventh, allowing a single and a walk but keeping the damage contained over one inning.

The same report also detailed the offense around that bullpen work. Left fielder BJ Murray hit his 10th home run of the year in the sixth inning with the bases empty and finished 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring twice. Right fielder Ben Cowles went 3-for-4 and stole a base, while singled home Murray in the fourth. Second baseman Owen Miller produced a double and two steals, including a steal of home as part of a double steal, and added an RBI groundout and another run.

Beyond the box-score moments, the organizational moves and roster management thread continued to run through the system. The Cubs designated right-hander Eduarniel Núñez for assignment last week, cleared waivers, and was assigned to Iowa, the wrap reported. Separately, the Cubs signed third baseman Michael Hallquist from the Milwaukee Milkmen of the independent American Association and assigned him to South Bend, adding another bat to the next tier up in the development pipeline.

On the prospects stage, South Bend’s season storyline was not defined solely by that specific game. The report noted that first baseman Josiah Hartshorn and right-hander Mason McGwire were named to the Futures Game roster, an annual showcase that places top prospects in a high-visibility setting tied to MLB’s All-Star weekend. For the Cubs, that sort of selection is both a recognition of present production and a statement of how the organization views the trajectory of its younger talent.

The Futures Game also comes as a measuring stick for the balance between power tools, hit tool, and the way prospects handle advanced pitching. Hartshorn’s inclusion as a position player underscores the Cubs’ emphasis on developing corner bats with enough run production to translate to big-league scenarios, while McGwire’s spot highlights how the club is tracking right-handed pitching depth through the minors.

What to watch next is how Iowa’s late-inning execution holds up when it is not supported by the particular debut circumstances described in the wrap. For South Bend, the attention attached to the Futures Game can add pressure and momentum, and it will be important to see whether Hartshorn and McGwire keep their development rhythms through the second half while the system continues processing new additions like Hallquist and continuing to rotate players such as Núñez into the right level of the chain.

Why It Matters

Iowa’s late-inning look gave the Cubs’ organizational planners an up-close view of how veteran-leaning arms function in higher-leverage stretches.
Hitting production and baserunning described in the wrap provide a snapshot of whether the Cubs’ position-player talent is turning skills into impact against organized competition.
Núñez’s waiver-clearing assignment illustrates how the Cubs manage depth and options to keep players moving at the right developmental level.
Hallquist’s arrival from the independent ranks adds a new evaluation variable for South Bend, potentially reshaping depth at third base.
Futures Game selections for Hartshorn and McGwire are a high-report marker that the Cubs’ system has prospects MLB is actively tracking for near-term upside.

Sources

Key Facts

Iowa’s game featured Cubs-debut work from Aaron Bummer (sixth inning) and Liam Hendriks (seventh inning), according to the minor league wrap.
Doug Nikhazy did not make it out of the first inning for Iowa, allowing five runs on two hits and four walks before finishing the outing with one strikeout.
The wrap reported BJ Murray hit a solo home run for his 10th of the year and scored twice, while Ben Cowles went 3-for-4 with a steal and an RBI single.
Owen Miller recorded a double, two steals including a steal of home, and an RBI groundout, per the report.
Eduarniel Núñez, designated for assignment last week, cleared waivers and was assigned to Iowa, according to the wrap.
The Cubs signed third baseman Michael Hallquist from the Milwaukee Milkmen (independent American Association) and assigned him to South Bend, the report said.
South Bend players Josiah Hartshorn and Mason McGwire were named to the Futures Game roster, per the wrap.