{
  "id": 9062339,
  "title": "Cubs BCB After Dark: Who’s the Cubs’ Minor League Player of the Year?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/cubs-bcb-after-dark-whos-the-cubs-minor-league-player-of-the-year",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-22T02:17:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/cubs-bcb-dark-cubs-minor-021724729.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Knoxville Smokies baseball team recently announced their Double-A Southern League All-Star team, with three players from the Smokies making the cut. Catcher Owen Ayers, an impressive 25-year-old, topped the list with a .304/.417/.591 batting average, including 16 home runs in 65 games. Ayers moved up from the minor leagues to Triple-A Iowa before the end of the season. Fellow Smokies outfielder/first baseman Josiah Hartshorn, a 19-year-old sixth-round pick, also earned All-Star honors, showcasing his talent across multiple levels of baseball.",
  "summary": "The late-night/early-morning spot for Cubs fans asks who is the minor league player of the year.",
  "key_points": [
    "Owen Ayers, 25, Smokies catcher, tops All-Star list",
    "Josiah Hartshorn, 19, Smokies outfielder/first baseman, earns All-Star honors",
    "Ayers moves from minor leagues to Triple-A Iowa before season end"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The selection of Owen Ayers and Josiah Hartshorn to the Double-A Southern League All-Star team signals the Cubs' minor league system is producing standout players, bolstering the team's future prospects.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}