Misc. Minor League Alumni News & Notes

[wiguy94]

Bradley Blalock getting his first MLB start tonight against the white hot Arizona Diamondbacks. I wish him luck because he might need it.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Blalock did well. Took a 4-1 lead into the 6th but with 2 outs just couldn't close out the inning, leaving with a 4-3 lead that the BP gave up. He walked no one, which you figure he pretty much has to do to be successful. You'd have to assume he'll get more shots.

[brooks_quichenick]

Old friend Weston Wilson hits for the cycle!

[wiguy94]

12 minutes ago, brooks_quichenick said:

Old friend Weston Wilson hits for the cycle!

That's such a hilarious cycle. Flyball of the top of the wall with a crazy bounce for the triple, infield bloop single, and double that the RF dove for and bounced out of his glove. Good for him!

[Ro Mueller]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

9 hours ago, Ro Mueller said:

 

I was wondering when he'd get his first Save Opp given how well he'd been pitching. You love to see it. AND, not going to beat the Dead Horse by pointing out he's doing what many of us here thought he was capable of doing. Oh wait! I guess I poked the bear again. Sigh. Go Justin!

[Joseph Zarr]

I saw ol' friend C Alex Jackson in the Rays line-up last night. And, I thought to myself: "How many games has Jackson played and how is he doing overall?" Well...it appears some of our translation to MLB concerns have definitely expressed themselves early in a semi-regular PT share:

52 GP 😳
122 AB
16 H / 6 2B / 3 HR / 12 RBI / 15 R
48 K: 9 BB
0.131 BA / 0.456 OPS

'Yikes' might be a word I'd use. He is straddling the edge between a 'Poor'-to-'Awful' K-rate (via Fangraphs rating scale) at a ripe 26.5 % K rate. We always knew this was a high possibility given his big swing tendencies at Triple-A. Hopefully, he can get on a hot streak.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

You will never convince me trading RHP TJ Shook to the Mets for 30-year-old journeyman LHP Tyler Jay wasn't a mistake. Didn't make sense at the time. Doesn't make sense today.

Since joining Double-A Binghamton, Shook has been fantastic:

13 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 HB, 3 BB, 17 K, 2 ER, 2 W, 0 L, 4 SVO, 4 SV

In August, in six appearances spanning 10.0 IP, 'The Shookster' has allowed a fantastic 0.171 BAA with a stellar 0.80 WHIP. This was always in his bag. I've been saying it for two years. I continue to be dumbfounded. 

For as much as I love the Brewers for their system-wide - baseball-wide - pitching development, in my very humble opinion they absolutely missed the boat on Shook. I said it last year. I said it this year. I'll say it again: future MLB pitcher. It's all there in the tools.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Janson Junk has been DFA'd by the Astros to make room on their 40-Man for OF Jason Heyward (who was recently DFA'd by the Dodgers on 8/22)

** Junk will be out of Options in 2025 but can be optioned the remainder of the 2024 season.

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

On 8/29/2024 at 3:05 PM, Joseph Zarr said:

RHP Janson Junk has been DFA'd by the Astros to make room on their 40-Man for OF Jason Heyward (who was recently DFA'd by the Dodgers on 8/22)

** Junk will be out of Options in 2025 but can be optioned the remainder of the 2024 season.

 

BUMP:

The former Brewers-to-Oakland A's pipeline continues.

Athletics Claim Janson Junk

[Joseph Zarr]

Old friend and previous everyday Brewers 3B before spending time at Nashville (and key cog to the RHP Bradley Blalock trade who is now the RHP Nick Mears via trade) - Luis Urias has had his contract selected by the Seattle Mariners.

Quote

The Mariners announced this evening that they’ve selected the contract of infielder Luis Urias from Triple-A Tacoma. The club designated infielder Terrin Vavra for assignment and optioned left-hander Gabe Speier to Triple-A in corresponding moves.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Old friend INF Pablo Reyes had his contract selected by the New York Mets after last year's prolonged cup of coffee with the Boston Red Sox. Here's hoping Reyes catches fire for the Wild Card chasing NL team out East.

Quote

Reyes, who will celebrate his 31st birthday on Thursday, began the season as a member of the Red Sox but was designated for assignment and outrighted to the minors after he cleared waivers. Once Reyes had been removed from the 40-man roster, the Mets worked out a deal with Boston to acquire the versatile infielder in a cash deal back in May. Since then, Reyes has been playing for the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse with fairly strong results. In 57 games with Syracuse, Reyes has slashed .285/.364/.470 while splitting time between second and third base as well as shortstop.

Interestingly, a roster spot was opened when ol' Brewer friend OF Ben Gamel was DFA'd to Syracuse earlier this month. Gamel was claimed by the Houston Astros.

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Adrian Houser has been signed to another Minor League contract as his merry-go-round 2024 MLB tour continues. The Orioles signed Houser after the Cubs of Wrigleyville recently released him. 

Quote

Because Houser joined the O’s before the September 1 cutoff date, he is eligible to be added to a playoff roster.  However, the veteran hasn’t done much this season that would seemingly merit postseason action, as Houser has a 5.84 ERA over 69 1/3 innings with the Mets as well as a subpar 10.4% walk rate and a 14.6% strikeout rate that is among the lowest in baseball.

While Houser pitched better after being moved out of New York’s rotation and into a long relief role, the Mets opted to release him at the end of July, and the Cubs didn’t feel compelled to call Houser up during his few weeks at Triple-A Iowa.  Houser was used as a starter again in Iowa and had a 3.86 ERA and 6.6% walk rate in 18 2/3 frames, but still with a 15.8K%.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Last season's 7 G, 25 AB cup of coffee with the Nasvhille Sounds and 11 G, 26 AB with cup of coffee with the Brewers 1B/DH Darin Ruf has joined the University of Nebraska Omaha baseball program as an assistant coach. 

Quote

“We are thrilled to have Darin join our baseball family,” Mavericks head coach Evan Porter said in a statement within today’s announcement. “Darin’s incredible track record speaks for itself, but his character and work ethic are perhaps more impressive. I’ve been fortunate to know Darin for the past 20 years, his respect for the game and for the people around him is admirable. I couldn’t be more excited to work with Darin, he is a tremendous addition to our program.”

He hasn't formally announced his retirement but it would seem to be a foregone conclusion for the 38-year-old MLB journeyman given this news. Best of luck, Mr. Ruf! 

[Joseph Zarr]

On 8/18/2024 at 11:24 AM, Joseph Zarr said:

I saw ol' friend C Alex Jackson in the Rays line-up last night. And, I thought to myself: "How many games has Jackson played and how is he doing overall?" Well...it appears some of our translation to MLB concerns have definitely expressed themselves early in a semi-regular PT share:

52 GP 😳
122 AB
16 H / 6 2B / 3 HR / 12 RBI / 15 R
48 K: 9 BB
0.131 BA / 0.456 OPS

'Yikes' might be a word I'd use. He is straddling the edge between a 'Poor'-to-'Awful' K-rate (via Fangraphs rating scale) at a ripe 26.5 % K rate. We always knew this was a high possibility given his big swing tendencies at Triple-A. Hopefully, he can get on a hot streak.

BUMP:

C Alex Jackson has been DFA's by the Rays. Tough news for the veteran backstop as he had a prolonged cup of coffee in 2024 and just couldn't get any amount of consistent or meaningful offense going. This one has to sting for the young man as he received a legitimate opportunity and could not run with it. This just in: MLB baseball is hard!

Quote

Tampa Bay has stuck with the 28-year-old Jackson all season, giving him 158 turns at the plate as the team’s backup catcher despite a .122/.201/.237 batting line and sky-high 34.2% strikeout rate. Jackson has played strong defense, but that lack of productivity in the batter’s box has now reached its tipping point, as Tampa Bay seems poised to turn his role over to recently promoted Logan Driscoll, who’s enjoyed a strong year in Durham and will now pair with defensive standout Ben Rortvedt to comprise the Rays’ catching corps.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

It would appear old savvy low-velo lefty (and, a favorite of mine) LHP Pablo Garabitos did indeed play for the Chihuahua Dorados of the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) this past summer. I do believe this was Chihuahua's first professional season back in that League in 14 some years. Garabitos got the call for the last game of their season back on August 2nd in the Dorados' 33-60 season in their return. It would appear he pitched 5.0 IP of 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 3 ER. It's just fantastic to see him still slinging it. I hope he keeps doing so. And, as a starter no less!

[Jim Goulart]

Be sure to watch the interview video within that final tweet in the series, and the very first link I provide below to learn about his January honor and his humble Huntsville entry into affiliated ball.

Just like today's affiliate broadcasters, Alex was a big friend of the Link Report during his 2012-2013 stint in Huntsville.
 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

RHP Janson Junk's whirlwind 2024 season continues as he was just DFA'd by the Oakland Athletics a mere week after being claimed. Junk appeared in one contest and it's fair to say: didn't go all that well! He made his only appearance on September 4th:

Quote

... a nightmare outing wherein he faced eight batters and allowed them all to reach base (six hits, two walks). Junk was charged with seven earned runs and did not record an out.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

On 8/31/2024 at 9:49 PM, Joseph Zarr said:

Old friend INF Pablo Reyes had his contract selected by the New York Mets after last year's prolonged cup of coffee with the Boston Red Sox. Here's hoping Reyes catches fire for the Wild Card chasing NL team out East.

Interestingly, a roster spot was opened when ol' Brewer friend OF Ben Gamel was DFA'd to Syracuse earlier this month. Gamel was claimed by the Houston Astros.

The David Stearns Mets---Brewers axis continues on! Gamel gave way to Reyes. Reyes is DFA'd and gives way to a stalwart for a significant portion of last year's Sounds season in INF Eddy Alvarez. The Mets had just acquired Alvarez (for cash) from the Red Sox. SO, this is a Stearns/Brewers/Mets/Red Sox carousel. Alvarez had spent his seen at the Sox's Triple-A Worcester club of the International League where he had slashed .247/.348/.463 in 114 games - 18 HR while going 18-for-25 in stolen base attempts.

 

[Ro Mueller]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

29 minutes ago, Ro Mueller said:

 

Who could forget? I believe we saw the best hybrid Alvarez work of any ball club:

 

[Jim Goulart]