Two of the Cubs’ most promising prospects earn monthly awards

On Saturday, the Cubs handed out the organizational minor league awards for July.
Outfielder Alexander Canario was named the minor league player of the month while Luke Little was tabbed the pitcher of the month.
Canario posted an unreal .354/.500/.800 slash line (1.300 OPS) in July with Double-A Tennessee, smacking 7 homers, 8 doubles, 16 RBI and 18 run scored in 19 games. He also walked (19) more than he struck out (13) in 84 plate appearances.
On the season, he is hitting .262 with a .903 OPS, 26 homers and 13 stolen bases in 92 games between Advanced Class-A South Bend and Double-A.
Canario, 22, was acquired from the Giants in the Kris Bryant trade last summer. He was ranked the No. 10 prospect in the Cubs’ system on Lance Brozdowski’s preseason list.
Little made 5 starts in July and sported a 1.15 ERA and .115 batting average against. He whiffed 25 batters in 15.2 innings and allowed only 11 baserunners (6 hits, 5 walks).
The 21-year-old southpaw is 1-4 on the year with a 3.12 ERA in 19 outings (18 starts) with Class-A Myrtle Beach. Little is striking out an eye-popping 14.5 batters per nine innings with 79 whiffs in 49 innings.
Little was the Cubs’ 4th round pick in the pandemic-shortened draft in 2020. The lanky lefty (listed at 6-foot-8) was a consideration for the final spot in Brozdowski’s preseason prospect rankings.