The Tennessee Smokies — the Cubs Double-A affiliate — are getting ready to defend their Southern League title with the postseason right around the corner and manager Lance Rymel is feeling confident.

“I don’t think the vibes can get any higher,” said Rymel on the Road to Wrigley: Farm Report.

This comes as a very positive sign for the Smokies, especially considering the wrinkle in their schedule leading into postseason play.

The Smokies are in the midst of a 6-game series against the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, to end the regular season. They open the postseason on September 17 with a best-of-3 series against the Barons.

A key factor that could help the Smokies in their postseason run is 2024 Cubs’ 1st-round pick Cam Smith who was recently called up to Double-A and the other managers in the Cubs’ minor-league system had high praise for the 21-year old.

When Rymel reached out to Buddy Bailey, manager of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Class-A), and South Bend Cubs (High-A) manager Nick Lovullo asking for a scouting report on Smith, he came away with a lot more than he anticipated.

Bailey and Lovullo praised Smith referring to him as a phenomenal human being who had a great make up and an impressive level of adaptability.

“When Buddy Bailey and Nick Lovullo tell me that and that’s the first thing they tell me, that’s a big seal of approvement from those guys,” said Rymel.

Rymel also is excited to be promoting Will Sanders, the Cubs’ 4th-round pick in the 2023 draft, alongside Cam Smith. Like Smith, it was also nothing but positive on Sanders’ scouting report.

“I’m happy to have him here,” Rymel said regarding Sanders. “He’s got 4 or 5 different pitches he’s gonna attack, I know he’s gonna throw a lot of strikes. He’s competitive.”

Rymel then continued to make his confidence known when asked what the keys to success are for the Smokies in the postseason.

“We are the best team in the Southern League,” said Rymel who made it a point to emphasize they need to keep playing the way they’re playing.

It’s clear where Rymel’s confidence comes from — the Smokies own a 20-5 record over their last 25 games and a league-best 46-20 overall record.

With players like Smith and Sanders now joining the team, Rymel has even more reason to be confident as the Tennessee Smokies look to defend their Southern League title.

Watch Lance Rymel’s full interview on the Marquee Sports Network app