Toyota Road Report June 15-20: Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids Kernels

Miles from South Bend: 320

Affiliation: Twins

Stadium: Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium

South Bend vs Cedar Rapids

Last Season: 2-1

Since becoming a Cubs affiliate: 7-7

The South Bend Cubs (17-18) head west to the state of Iowa to take on the Cedar Rapids Kernels (17-19) for a six-game series this week. The Kernels just won four of their last five to win their previous series up in Beloit vs. the Snappers.

Cedar Rapids sits in fifth place in the High-A Central West Division, half a game back of South Bend. But despite their poor record, the Kernels possess an extremely powerful offense. No team in the league has hit 40 homers yet, except Cedar Rapids, who have hit 50. On top of that they lead the High-A Central in slugging (.423), OPS (.762) and total bases (294), and have drawn the second most walks (173).

The Kernels roster has seven top-30 Twins prospects according to MiLB Pipeline.

Players to watch on Cedar Rapids

Kody Funderburk, LHP: Funderburk made 12 appearances (10 starts) with Cedar Rapids back in 2019, going 1-3 with a 4.68 ERA. But the southpaw has greatly impressed in 2021. This year the 15th-rounder from 2018 has a 1.93 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) and has 44 strikeouts compared to only nine walks. Funderburk will start tonight’s series opener, and possibly Sunday’s finale.

Gabe Snyder, INF: Snyder was a 21st round pick of the Twins in 2018 out of Wright State University. The Kernels first baseman spent all of 2019 with Cedar Rapids, playing in 114 games, slugging .462 and launching 19 homers. This season Snyder has been as consistent with his eye as he is with his bat. The Millersburg, Ohio native is top 10 in the league in slugging (.524) and on-base percentage (.388), combining to place him fifth in OPS (.911).

Spencer Steer, INF: Steer is a middle infielder that comes in ranked as the #30 prospect in the Twins farm system. Seeing most of his time at second base and in the leadoff spot of the batting order, he leads the team in home runs (8), walks (24), and total bases (51). Steer ranks in the top 10 in the league in all three of those categories; tied for fifth in homers, tied for third in walks and tied for ninth in total bases. The third round pick from 2019 out of Oregon can play multiple spots on the infield and while he doesn’t have one tool that jumps out as being elite, the 23-year-old does everything well.

Players to watch on South Bend

Yonathan Perlaza, OF: Perlaza struggled somewhat in May but is coming on strong in the month of June. This month the outfielder from Venezuela is slashing .326/.392/.500 and has accounted for 15 runs (seven RBI, eight runs) and tallied 15 hits in 12 games. Perlaza notched back-to-back multi-hit games on Friday and Saturday, and homered in the series finale vs. Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon.

Jake Washer, C: Another guy who started the year slowly but has been coming on strong is Jake Washer. The East Carolina product was 0-for-16 to start the season through his first four games but in June has at least one hit in six of his eight starts, including three multi-hit games, after not recording any in May. Washer has scored or driven in a run in each of his last five starts.

Josue Huma, INF: Huma returned on May 29 after playing a couple games with AAA Iowa, and in his first five games back in South Bend he was just 2-for-17 at the plate. In the nine games since he has five multi-hit games, six extra-base hits, eight runs, four RBI, and his first homer of the season which he hit on Sunday vs. Wisconsin.

Schedule

Tuesday, June 15 - 7:35 ET: RHP Bradford Deppermann (0-1, 4.38 ERA) vs. LHP Kody Funderburk (1-1, 1.93 ERA)

Wednesday, June 16 - 7:35 ET: RHP Matteo Bocchi (1-0, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Jon Olsen (0-3, 4.91 ERA)

Thursday, June 17 - 7:35 ET: RHP Max Bain (2-2, 5.86 ERA) vs. RHP Andrew Cabezas (2-1, 3.00 ERA)

Friday, June 18 - 7:35 ET: RHP Derek Casey (3-3, 4.04 ERA) vs. RHP Cody Laweryson (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

Saturday, June 19 - 7:35 ET: RHP Ryan Jensen (2-3, 6.04 ERA) vs. TBD

Sunday, June 20 - 3:05 ET: TBD vs. TBD

You can listen to Darin Pritchett call every game of the series on the flagship station for the South Bend Cubs WSBT 96.1, or online at wsbtradio.com