Article: Brewers Minor League Week in Review (5/2-7): Strong Individual Performers in Week with Struggles

[Seth Stohs]

As a new week of minor-league games begins, take one more look back at who played well throughout the Brewers organization last week. Combined, the four full-season affiliates went 10-14 last week, though you'll see that one affiliate went 0-6. There were again some really terrific performers on the mound and at the plate. 

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Andruw Monasterio), Josh Sumrall (photo of RHP Carlos Rodriguez), Mike Krebs (photo of Wes Clarke)

Before we take a look back, here is a quick look at the top performers from the past week as well as the transactions from Monday. 

Lefty Darrell Thompson has been promoted from Biloxi to Nashville. It's great to see Logan Henderson get assigned to the Carolina Mudcats. Hopefully he can remain healthy so we can see just how good he can be. 

Pitchers Jakob Brustoski and Fernando Olguin were both released by the organization. 

Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Last Week: 3-3 at St. Paul   
Overall: 17-15
Standings: 5th place in the International League West Division (7 GB)
What’s Next: Hosting Gwinnett (12-20) for six games

Top Hitter: SS Andruw Monasterio   
Monasterio has spent time in Triple-A each of the past three seasons as he awaits his first opportunity in the big leagues. Last week, he made a strong case. In five games in St. Paul, he hit .333/.478/.667 with two homers and seven RBI. He also walked five times. In 111 plate appearances this season, has 21 walks and just 19 strikeouts. In 28 games, he has hit .247/.387/.360 (.747) with four doubles and two home runs. This season, he has spent most of his time at shortstop, but in his career, he has played all over the infield. As a utility infielder, he plays good defense and while he won’t have a lot of power, he takes quality at-bats and gets on base.

Originally signed with the Cubs in March of 2014 from Caracas, he spent that summer in the Venezuelan Summer League. In 2015, he came to the States. In August of 2018, he was traded to the Nationals in exchange for Daniel Murphy. He became a free agent after the season and signed with the Cleveland organization. He spent that season in Double-A, then when minor-league ball returned in 2021, he played at Double-A and Triple-A. Following that season, he signed with the Brewers. He split time between Biloxi and Nashville and hit .271/.364/.406 (.770) with 22 doubles, nine homers, and 15 stolen bases.

He will turn 26 later this month. Obviously, Willy Adames is the Brewers shortstop. Right now, Brice Turang is the second baseman. If at some point, the team believes Turang is sent down for more seasoning, it’s possible Monasterio could get The Call. Injury is the other potential way for him to debut this season.

Honorable Mentions
IF Patrick Dorrian (27): 3 G, 4-for-14, .333/.429/.833 (1.262), 2-HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K.
IF Alexander Toro (26): 6 G, 7-for-20, .350/.519/.500 (1.019), 3-2B, 7 BB, 3 K.
C Brian Navarreto (28): 4 G, 6-for-15, .400/.500/.467 (.967), 1-2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K.
·IF Keston Hiura (26): 5 G, 5-for-23, .263/.391/.526 (.917), 2-2B, 1-HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K.

Top 20 Prospects
#2 prospect OF Sal Frelick (23): Out 6-8 weeks after labrum surgery in his thumb.

Top Pitcher: LHP Ethan Small (26) - #18 Prospect
Small, who remained a Top 20 Brewers prospect entering the season, had a strong week. He pitched twice out of the bullpen and threw four scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out seven batters. On the season, he has pitched in 10 games for the Sounds, all out of the bullpen. In 14 1/3 innings pitched, he has given up seven hits, walked eight and struck out 22 batters. His ERA stands at 2.51, and his WHIP is 1.05.

In 2018, Small was the 26th round pick of the Diamondbacks out of Mississippi State. He decided to go back to school, and a year later, he was the Brewers’ first round pick, 28th overall. That summer, he pitched twice in Arizona, before ending the season with five starts at Low-A Wisconsin. Of course, he did not pitch during the 2020 season. He began the 2021 season with eight starts for Biloxi before ending that season with nine starts in Nashville. Combined, he went 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA. In 77 1/3 innings, he walked 42 and struck out 92 batters. He pitched in the Dominican Winter League that offseason. Last year, he made 27 appearances (21 starts) for the Sounds and went 7-6 with a 4.46 ERA. In 103 innings, he had 114 strikeouts, but also walked 58 batters. He made his major-league debut. In two starts, he worked a total of 6 1/3 innings. He had a 7.11 ERA and a 2.53 WHIP. He gave up five runs on eight hits and eight walks. He had seven strikeouts, but it does appear that the Brewers have decided that Small’s future is likely to be in the bullpen.

Honorable Mentions
RHP Caleb Boushley (29): 2 GS, 3.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 12 K.
MLB Rehab RHP Gus Varland (26): 3 G, 9.82 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K.   

Other Top 20 Prospects
#7 Prospect, LHP Robert Gasser (24): 1 G, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 8 K.

Double-A Biloxi Shuckers
Last Week: 3-3, at Montgomery   
Overall: 15-12
Standings: 2nd place in the Southern League (1 GB)
What’s Next: Hosting Rocket City (14-13) for six games

Top Hitter: #5 prospect, C/1B Wes Clarke (23)
While Jeferson Quero receives the attention and the prospect notoriety (and understandably so), Wes Clarke is a name to remember and get to know because he has potential to be a solid backup backstop in the big leagues one day.

Last week, he played in four games and went 7-for-16. He hit .438/.500/.875 (1.375) with four doubles, a homer, and eight RBI. He also walked three times and had four strikeouts. In 20 games this season, he is hitting .200/.369/.339 (.708) with six doubles and a home run. A season ago, he had a .356 on-base percentage, 21 doubles, and 14 home runs in 99 games (83 in Wisconsin, 16 with Biloxi).

The Brewers selected Clarke in the 40th round of the 2018 draft out of his high school in Virginia. He went to college, and in 2021, he was the Brewers’ 10th round pick out of the University of South Carolina. In 2020 and 2021, he posted an OPS just shy of 1.100 and had 31 homers and 77 RBI in 73 games. He also had 58 walks and an on-base percentage of .423. That appears to be his professional hitting profile as well. He won’t hit for a high batting average, but he will get on base and hit for some power.

Honorable Mention
IF Noah Campbell (24): 5 G, 7-for-25, .280/.419/.560 (.979), 1-2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 6 K.
IF Ethan Murray (23): 6 G, 8-for-24, .333/.385/.500 (.885), 2-2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 9 K.

Top 20 Prospects
#1 prospect OF Jackson Chourio (19): 5 G, 5-for-23, .217/.280/.217 (.497), 2 BB, 6 K, 3/3 SB.  
#5 prospect C Jeferson Quero (20): 5 G, 5-for-21, .238/.333/.476 (.809), 2-2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K.
#8 prospect IF Tyler Black (22): 5 G, 7-for-20, .350/.500/.600 (1.100), 2-2B, HR, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K, 7/7 SB.  

Top Pitcher: RHP Carlos Rodriguez (21) - #11 Prospect    
Carlos Rodriguez the Hitter has been mentioned in a past Minor League Week in Review. Carlos Rodriguez the pitcher, the Brewer Fanatic Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2022, makes his first appearances as a Top Pitcher this season… although he has been really good to start the season. Last week, his start lasted 5 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs (1 earned) on three hits, one walk, and 10 strikeouts. He has made five starts for Biloxi this season and is 0-1 with a 1.99 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. In 22 2/3 innings, he has walked 11 batters, but he has struck out 35 batters (13.9 K/9).

Rodriguez made the start for Team Nicaragua in their first-ever WBC game this spring in Miami. He went to high school at Miami Christian and then went to Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers. In 2021, he was the Brewers’ sixth-round draft pick. He made his professional debut in 2022 with the Carolina Mudcats where he went 3-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 19 games (13 starts). In 71 1/3 innings, he walked 27 and struck out 84 batters. He moved up to Wisconsin and ended the season with seven starts. He was 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He had 13 walks and 45 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. Could he be the back-to-back pitcher of the year?

Honorable Mention
RHP Cam Robinson (23): 3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 7 K.
RHP Zach Vennaro (27): 2 G, 0-1, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 IBB, 6 K.
RHP TJ Shook (25): 1 G, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K.   

Top 20 Prospects
#13 prospect RHP Abner Uribe (23): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K.

High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Last Week: At Peoria, 0-6  
Overall: 8-18
Standings: 6th place in the Midwest League West Division (8 GB)
What’s Next: Hosting South Bend (15-12) for six games.

Top Hitter: Darrien Miller (22)
Miller returned to Appleton to start this season. Last week, he played in five games and went 8-for-20. He hit .400/.455/.650 (1.105) with two doubles, a homer, and five RBI. He also walked once and struck out three times. In 19 games this season, he’s hitting .214/.317/.314 (.631) with four doubles and a home run. Last year, as a 21-year-old in Wisconsin, he hit .224/.372/.388 (.760) with 12 doubles and 12 home runs. This past offseason, he went Down Under and played in 35 more games for the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League. While there, he hit .266/.381/.431 (.812) with 12 doubles and two homers.

Miller was the Brewers ninth-round draft pick in 2019 out of high school in California. He played in 23 games in Arizona that season, and of course, he did not play in 2020. He spent 2021 in Carolina and played in 52 games. He hit .263/.419/.419 (.838) with four doubles and seven home runs. In his four seasons in pro ball, he has thrown out 16% of would-be base stealers.

Honorable Mentions
IF Ben Metzinger (24): 3 G, 3-for-10, .300/.300/.600 (.900), HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K.
Jesus Chirinos (21): 4 G, 4-for-13, .231/.333/.538 (.871), 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K.  

Top 20 Prospects
#9 prospect SS Eric Brown Jr (22): 5 G, 6-for-20, .300/.364/.350 (.714), 2B, 2 BB, 2 K, 1/2 SB.
#12 prospect OF Hendry Mendez (19):  2 G, 1-for-6, .167/.286/.167 (.453), BB, 2 K.  
#14 prospect OF Robert Moore (21): 6 G, 6-for-23, .261/.370/.478 (.848), 3-2B, 3B, 4 BB, 2 K.

Top Pitcher: #15 prospect RHP Edwin Jimenez (21)
Jimenez had a strong case for Brewer Fanatic Pitcher of the Month for April, and when the calendar turned to May, he made the move to High-A Wisconsin. If his first week is any indication, his stay may not be terribly long. The 21-year-old worked in six innings out of the bullpen over two appearances. He gave up one run on three hits. He struck out eight batters without issuing a walk. Overall, a terrific first week. Back to his first month, in April in Carolina, he went 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four games. In 18 innings, he gave up four runs on 13 hits and five walks, and he struck out 23 batters.

The 21-year-old signed with the Brewers in October of 2018 from Venezuela. He debuted in the Dominican Summer League in 2019. After the lost 2020 season, he began the 2021 season in the DSL before ending the season in Arizona. 2022 was his first season with a full-season affiliate, and he spent the full season in Carolina. He pitched in 25 games and made 17 starts. He went 4-7 with a 4.75 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. In 113 2/3 innings, he walked 41 and struck out 104 batters. So it made sense for him to start this season in the Carolina League.

Honorable Mention
RHP Brannon Jordan (24): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K.
RHP Max Lazar (24): 1 G, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K.
LHP Karlos Morales (23): 2 G, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K.

Top 20 Prospects
#15 prospect RHP Stiven Cruz (21): 1 GS, 0-1, 47.25 ERA, 6.00 WHIP, 1.1 IP, 7 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 1 K.
#20 prospect RHP Alexander Cornielle (21): 1 GS, 0-1, 12.27 ERA, 2.73 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 5 R, 9 H, 1 BB, 4 K.

Low-A Carolina Mudcats 
Last Week: At Delmarva, 4-2.
Overall: 15-10  
Standings: Tied 1st place in the Carolina League North Division
What’s Next: Hosting Fredericksburg (8-17) for six games

Top Hitter: C Matt Wood (22)
Wood was in this spot just a couple of weeks ago, and the 22-year-old had another fantastic week last week. He played in all six games and went 7-for-19. He hit .368/.571/.737 (1.308) with a double, two homers, and nine RBI. He even had nine walks to just four walks. On the season, he has now played 20 games and is hitting .313/.477/.537 (1.015) with six doubles and three homers. He also has 20 walks and 14 strikeouts in 88 plate appearances.

As we mentioned last time, Wood went to Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, the same school that Pirates legend Neil Walker attended. And so did the great Vinny Nittoli and former Brewers legend Blake Lalli. He went to Penn State for three years. In those years, he posted a .989 OPS with 26 doubles and 15 home runs. In his junior season of 2022, he posted a slash line of .379/.480/.667 (1.146) with 15 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. The Brewers made him their fourth round pick last summer. He played two games in Arizona before the end of the season.

Honorable Mentions
OF Luis Lara (18): 6 G, 6-for-21, .286/.448/.333 (.781), 2B, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K. 1/2 SB.

Top 20 Prospects
#17 prospect OF Jace Avina (20): 4 G, 0-for-10, .000/.286/.000 (.286), RBI, 2 BB, 7 K.    

Top Pitcher: LHP Nate Peterson (23)   
This is also the second time that lefty Nate Peterson has been the Mudcats’ top pitcher choice for a week. He pitched four innings in one game. He gave up zero runs, zero hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. This season, he has pitched in 18 2/3 innings over five games (2 starts). He is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA. He’s allowed 14 hits, walked nine, and struck out 28 batters (13.5 K/9).

A 2018 graduate of Lakeville (MN) North high school, he went to Oklahoma State for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. During the Covid season, he played in 11 games for the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League. He pitched there again in 2021. In 2022, he made 14 starts at the University of Illinois-Chicago where he went 4-4 with a 1.21 WHIP. In 88 innings, he had 21 walks and 102 strikeouts. The lefty became the Brewers eighth-round pick and did not pitch in a game last year.

Honorable Mention
RHP Patricio Aquino (20): 1 GS, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K.  
RHP Jeferson Figueroa (22): 2 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K.
RHP Will Rudy (22): 1 GS, 0-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K.  

Top 20 Prospects
#10 prospect RHP Jacob Misiorowski (21): 2 GS, 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 11 K.  

YOUR TURN…
Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Brewers minor league awards:

Hitter of the Week

Pitcher of the Week

Feel free to ask questions and discuss the Brewers’ minor league affiliates and prospects in the COMMENTS below.

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[Ro Mueller]

Thank you for putting these summaries together!