Your 2023 Carolina Mudcats

[Jim Goulart]

Mudcats' Opening Night is Friday 4/7 - at Fayetteville (Astros)

The Carolina formal announcement next week will come directly from the Mudcats, not the Brewers.

Wisconsin and Carolina will send out their press releases next week within an hour or so of each other once the Brewers have given them the official go-ahead to do so.

Feel free to link to any formal Mudcats notices you see here.

Often, we learn via player tweets, who has been assigned where, prior to the formal affiliate announcements. We'll link to any of those posts in this thread as they come out.

As you might know, we use the "Your 2023" team threads to post and link to feature stories, including audio and video, that are outside the scope of game activity covered in the Daily Minor League Link Report.

These threads have become among the most popular for viewing here, and we look forward to kicking them off formally.

Please do not speculate on any player releases. Brewers Player Development or MiLB.com will update us formally.

[Ro Mueller]

We've got a 32-man Carolina Mudcats' Opening Day roster, with 17 pitchers, 14 position players and one 2-way player: 

[Joseph Zarr]

@CheeseheadInQCand @clancyphile: Note, we have an official Two-Way designation for Quinton Low. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Perez is back manning the OF grass as I suspected. Here's hoping he reclaims that form that had him ranked so highly in prospect circles in previous years forcing a promotion to Wisconsin. 

[Ro Mueller]

Absent players of note:

• OF Luis Castillo - we'd noted his absence from spring training lineup cards
• RHP Arielbi Gonzalez - this is troublesome for a solid starting pitcher
• LHP Brian Fitzpatrick - a 10th round pick last year
• RHP Yerlin Rodriguez
• RHP Brailin Rodriguez
• RHP Miguel Segura

[ARobsBrewCrew]

I’ll try to keep these updates rolling the next couple of days, but here are two to start off with:

RHP Miguel Segura is dealing a minor (non-arm) injury and expects to be in game action within 2-3 weeks, assuming that will be with the Mudcats.

OF Luis Castillo was also dealing with a minor injury but is fully healthy now.  He is just getting back up to speed and it may not even be two weeks before he joins Carolina.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

RHP Arielbi Gonzalez is dealing with a more significant injury and does not know when he will return to the mound.

[Ro Mueller]

9 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

RHP Arielbi Gonzalez is dealing with a more significant injury and does not know when he will return to the mound.

That's too bad to hear about Arielbi Gonzalez, who remarkably and deservedly made it from mid-season international free agent signing (June 2021) to Low-A ball in under 15 months. Wishing a full recovery for the 20-year old

[Ro Mueller]

Manager Victor Estevez once again has a number of young players on his roster, 17 of which aren't yet of legal drinking age. Here's the roster based on their Opening Day (April 7, 2023) ages:

24 - Nick Merkel, Jakob Brustoski
23 - Tanner Shears, Nate Peterson, Shane Smith
22 - Chase Costello, Tyler Wehrle, Aidan Maldonado, Miguel Guerrero, Jeferson Figueroa, Matthew Wood, Fernando Olguin
21 - Eduarqui Fernandez, Edwin Jimenez, Jacob Misiorowski
20 - Kay-Lan Nicasia, Jhonnys Cabrera, Alexander Vallecillo, Jesus Parra, Quinton Low, Jeison Pena, Tayden Hall, Blayberg Diaz, Hedbert Perez
19 - Patricio Aquino, Jheremy Vargas, Jace Avina, Yujanyer Herrera, Daniel Guilarte, Jadher Areinamo
18 - Gregory Barrios, Luke Adams

[Joseph Zarr]

I just came here to say, I had a early evening moment of:

"I really get to watch Jadher Areinamo, Luke Adams, Daniel Guilarte and Gregory Barios in the same infield? Whewwww." 

This is a very fun group of young players.

[Jim Goulart]

Via the Blogs Forum here at BrewerFanatic:

Young Brew Crew Spotlight: Quinton Low

[Jenkins5]

Jeison Peña is the surprise for me. At 19 got up to Wisconsin for few innings. Thought he might start there. My guess though is stretch him out more  & get his command where it needs to. Last year really only worked 1-3 innings a game. Arguably one of the biggest pitchers to follow this summer. Apparently a ton of arm talent if he can harness the stuff. Tough kid to hit, with 30% K rate & opponents hitting less then .200 verse

[Joseph Zarr]

48 minutes ago, Jenkins5 said:

Jeison Peña is the surprise for me. At 19 got up to Wisconsin for few innings. Thought he might start there. My guess though is stretch him out more  & get his command where it needs to. Last year really only worked 1-3 innings a game. Arguably one of the biggest pitchers to follow this summer. Apparently a ton of arm talent if he can harness the stuff. Tough kid to hit, with 30% K rate & opponents hitting less then .200 verse

I hear what you're saying, but it makes sense. Pena was solid with Carolina but he was challenged quite a bit off the bat in Wisconsin. I watched those games and you could tell he wasn't quite ready for the Midwest League. If you recall, he actually returned to Carolina to finish the year. It was a short stint, mind you, but in his brief 2 2/3 IP, he rifled off 8 walks while sprinkling in 4 hits in High-A. He was in 'danger' every outing. I imagine they'll want to see him exposed to Low-A some more to establish himself a bit more before the real promotion.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Barney Gumble]

First post here and I go to a ton of Mudcats games so I guess best a place as any for my first post haha.

Anyway, been a fan essentially my whole life. My grandpa was from Milwaukee and was a fan of the then Milwaukee Braves, and then started following when the Brewers came in to town. Followed the Braves even when they were in Atlanta also, and after he moved to NC(Where I was born and raised and still live). I follow both teams also because of him if that is alright haha, but way more of a Brewers fan.

As for as to the main point of this thread: I am very intrigued to see some of our prospects in Zebulon this season and I think the Mudcats will have a very good season. I will be there next weekend when they take on Salem.

[Joseph Zarr]

Welcome aboard, Barney! Thanks for supporting the Mudcats. It sure looks like a fun roster to start the season that is for sure. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

17 hours ago, Barney Gumble said:

First post here and I go to a ton of Mudcats games so I guess best a place as any for my first post haha.

Anyway, been a fan essentially my whole life. My grandpa was from Milwaukee and was a fan of the then Milwaukee Braves, and then started following when the Brewers came in to town. Followed the Braves even when they were in Atlanta also, and after he moved to NC(Where I was born and raised and still live). I follow both teams also because of him if that is alright haha, but way more of a Brewers fan.

As for as to the main point of this thread: I am very intrigued to see some of our prospects in Zebulon this season and I think the Mudcats will have a very good season. I will be there next weekend when they take on Salem.

Welcome to Brewer Fanatic, we're looking forward to seeing your Mudcat commentary this season!

[Ro Mueller]

Based on this updated roster announcement, it’s likely that RHPs Jacob Misiorowski and Alexander Vallecillo have been placed on the Development List (e.g. to comply with max roster limits). Details to follow.

https://mailchi.mp/carolinamudcats.com/rosterupdate-1543317

[CheeseheadInQC]

3 hours ago, damuelle said:

Based on this updated roster announcement, it’s likely that RHPs Jacob Misiorowski and Alexander Vallecillo have been placed on the Development List (e.g. to comply with max roster limits). Details to follow.

https://mailchi.mp/carolinamudcats.com/rosterupdate-1543317

Man, most of the guys who I thought were going to make the Carolina rotation interesting aren’t on the roster to start the season, Still got Aquino and Herrera, though.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

Couple more updates for you:

LHP Brian Fitzpatrick has been sidelined since last August with a “stretched” nerve in his pitching elbow.  The hope is a mid-season return at this point, most likely late July.

RHP Logan Henderson has been dealing with a minor arm injury (same as what held him out of AFL action last fall) that is essentially mild soreness in his elbow.  I was told this is to be expected with the elbow surgery that he had early last season and is not particularly cause for concern.  He is targeting an early May assignment which will likely be a rehab assignment at Carolina before moving up to Wisconsin.

[Joseph Zarr]

6 minutes ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

Couple more updates for you:

LHP Brian Fitzpatrick has been sidelined since last August with a “stretched” nerve in his pitching elbow.  The hope is a mid-season return at this point, most likely late July.

RHP Logan Henderson has been dealing with a minor arm injury (same as what held him out of AFL action last fall) that is essentially mild soreness in his elbow.  I was told this is to be expected with the elbow surgery that he had early last season and is not particularly cause for concern.  He is targeting an early May assignment which will likely be a rehab assignment at Carolina before moving up to Wisconsin.

Thank you for these updates @ARobsBrewCrew. Always appreciated. Let's hope both young men recover in good time and return healthy in 2023. 

 

[Barney Gumble]

Thanks for the welcome friends!

I had the online tv feed ready to go for the Mudcats opening series at Fayetteville but games have been postponed until tomorrow due to rain smh.

Ah well, gonna drink this beer anyway!

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]