The Chicago Cubs are battling for the division and eyeing their first postseason appearance since 2020, but one team in the organization is already prepping for their first postseason game. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Chicago’s Low-A affiliate, takes on Kansas City’s Low-A Columbia Fireflies in a best-of-three series beginning on Monday, Sept. 9.
2025 Draft Pick Kane Kepley propels Myrtle Beach to their third postseason since 2022
The Pelicans had a slow start to their season this year, finishing last place in their division in the first half with a 25-39 record, looking like they were going to miss the postseason in consecutive years. They put up a -55 run differential, struggling on both sides of the ball. However, things took a massive turn in the second half, as the team looked completely different than when they started the season.Â
The Pelicans rode hot bats and breakout pitching performances to a 43-21 finish, racking up a +136 run differential. They went a blistering 26-9 against teams over .500 down the stretch, setting themselves up with the experience they need to make a deep postseason run. Just as the team started to come back to earth, they added 2025 second-round pick Kane Kepley, who added a much-needed boost to a team that had been struggling. Kepley played in 28 games, finishing the season with a .914 OPS and 16 stolen bases.
The team has also gotten major contributions from rookie Cole Mathis, the Cubs’ 2024 second-rounder who just returned from injury to contribute his .738 OPS to the playoff run.
They’re also getting huge production from OF Alexey Lumpuy down the stretch. After starting the season slow slow, Lumpuy has come alive at the end of August, slashing .273/.360 /.545, good for a .905 OPS since getting hot near the end of last month.
In the last 30 days, Myrtle Beach ranks second in home runs, first in OPS, third in stolen bases, second in RBIs, and first in hits in the Carolina League. Meanwhile, their first-round competition, the Columbia Fireflies, ranks near dead-last in the Carolina League in all of those categories. They’ve slumped heavily since a blistering first half start.
The Pelicans’ bats are hot, but the pitching is heating up too
Hitting is only half the equation—the pitching staff may not be as vaunted in the offense, but they’ve been receiving big performances down the stretch, primarily led by Alfredo Romero in the second half. In the last month, he’s made four starts, putting up a 1.93 ERA while opposing teams are hitting just .145 against him. Kevin Camacho has been a great aid down the stretch as well. He was a late bloomer, but is rocking a 2.40 ERA and 13 strikeouts in his last four starts, keeping opposing hitters to a .145 batting average against him.
The Columbia Fireflies have been struggling in the second half, going 28-35 to finish in last place in the division. They won’t be a pushover though, as they just took three out of six against the Pelicans in the last series of the year. Game 1 starts at 7:05pm ET at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, SC.
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