Article: Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/17): Dramatic Sounds & Timber Rattlers Wins, Yet the Mudcats' Luis Lara Steals the Spotlight

[Jim Goulart]

Nashville and Wisconsin pulled out two of the more exciting wins of their respective seasons, both in extras innings. Biloxi will toss their Friday night in the forget-about-it bin. While their skillsets are hardly a match, we have another precocious Carolina center fielder providing us Jackson Chourio-type moments. Join us please, for the full review below!

(I must tip my cap to the recuperative powers of the BrewerFanatic platform. Deep into this eight-game report, my desktop PC decided to force re-boot as I then held my breath that my browser - and our site - would remember what had been entered. It did 😀, so I have since exhaled.)

 

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

TRANSACTIONS:

• OF/INF Keston Hiura sent on rehab assignment to ACL Brewers
• OF Monte Harrison transferred to Development List from AAA Nashville

We'll also point out that we've always prided ourselves at BrewerFanatic in acknowledging the efforts of those players who have been recently dropped from the Milwaukee system. Please find time to visit this post at some point in your busy day. 
 

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Final: Nashville 5, Gwinnett (Braves) 3, ten innings

Via the Sounds' site, we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine:

Turang's Homer Walks Off Gwinnett in 10-Inning Thriller - Brice Turang knocks decisive blow in comeback 5-3 victory over Gwinnett

Pre-Game Media Notes 

Box Score / Game Log

Since his option to Nashville, Brice Turang is only 5-for-24, but he's swinging with purpose as four of those hits are for extra bases (1 double, 3 HR"s), and those round-trippers have not been cheapies:

Combine all the details in the Sounds' summary linked above with the multiple video highlights via the team's Twitter media feed, and you will feel like you're part of (another) sellout crowd in Nashville. Speaking of that great atmosphere and Nashville's status as a minor league gem of a city, that is among the topics prized LHP Robert Gasser discusses in this video interview (go to the 22:00 minute mark).

In just his second game back with the Sounds after missing about two months of action, Sal Frelick (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI) was also feeling frisky enough to steal his 5th base at AAA and first since his return to action (he did not attempt a stolen base in his three games in Maryvale). As long as you have that big giant oven mitt on, Sal, to protect that thumb - heck, two oven mitts are fine!

Given the lackluster state of catching across the MLB landscape (if you're a devout MLBTradeRumors.com follower, you're aware), it seems organizations may be kicking themselves for letting Payton Henry go unclaimed when he was DFA'd. He is on an insane run - again, details in the linked game summary. I fully expect the Brewers to pad value to any trade deadline deal by including one of their three defensively dynamic AAA catchers (Henry, Alex Jackson, Brian Navaretto) as a secondary piece. Jackson's 2023 OPS is .901, Henry is at .855.
 

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Final, Game One: Montgomery (Rays) 11, Biloxi 4, seven innings
Final, Game Two: Montgomery 7, Biloxi 0, 4.5 innings, rain

Via the Shuckers' site:

Shuckers Swept in Doubleheader by Biscuits - Two teams split the first four games of the series, Black extends his on-base streak to 35 games

Pre-Game Media Notes 

Game One Box Score / Game Log

Game Two Box Score / Game Log

Yeah, it wasn't a great night for the AA club, at least the home Biloxi fans were spared from the raindrops and poor results with the boys in Montgomery.

The mound work was rough, this was by far the worst of Justin Jarvis' 12 starts in what has been an exceptional 2023. Game One relievers Robbie Baker (tough June after sparkling work prior) and Kaleb Bowman (finding it's a big jump from High-A) didn't fare much better than Jarvis.

Despite plunking two batters, Game Two reliever Luis Contreras managed a scoreless 1.1 innings and to his credit, stranded all three of his inherited runners for Zach Vennaro. Starter Russell Smith could not escape the first inning (and given the irony of what is happening within the NL Central and another 2021 2nd round LHP - well, let's just say I'm done harping on it after this mini tweet-thread). 

Did Mike Guerrero see ominous Game Two clouds and decide, "yeah, I'm not jeopardizing a 35-game on-base streak by placing Tyler Black in the lineup". I'm still not a huge fan of tracking on-base streaks vs. hitting streaks, but when one factors in how many seven-inning games are played due to doubleheaders, that's a factor to make them more impressive.

Old friend Tristan Peters missed five weeks with an injury and has a .740 OPS in 23 games (video).
 

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Final:  Wisconsin 8, Great Lakes (Dodgers) 7, ten innings

Via the Timber Rattlers' site:

Rattlers Stun Loons With Extra-Inning Victory - Wisconsin rallies from 5-0 deficit to beat Great Lakes 8-7 in ten innings

Pre-Game Media Notes (Download Link) via the team's Virtual Press Box

Box Score / Game Log

With all due respect to the other full-season affiliates, where daily game summaries also rock, but there's just no matching what Voice of the Rattlers Chris Mehring does for us. For this road game, and with the host team not providing video highlights at all, we would be empty without the detail that Chris provides for what turned out to be easily one of the spotlight wins of the season across the entire system. Be sure to read through above.

Ah, the vagaries of tracking these players on a daily basis. After two recent poor relief stints, RHP Michele Vassalotti had an outing to remember, perfect through nine batters. Do you call it a low-pressure appearance because the Rattlers were down by five runs to start Vassalotti's night? No, because no night on the field is low-pressure for a minor leaguer.

Sorry to spoil the party, but Robert Moore is only 10-for-17 in SB attempts now? That stat kind of snuck up on us. Moore, along with Joe Gray (twice for Joe), was picked off first base in this one.

Cheers to Gray on his four-hit clutch night, however. He was 2-for-37 in his temporary Biloxi placement, here's hoping he can get close to his home base again and flash more nights at the plate like this one.

Alex Hall's uber-cool HR in the 9th was just part of reaching base all five times up. This was Hall's 11th start at first base in 2023.

Is it time for starting RHP Stiven Cruz to rediscover success back at Carolina?

Here's a unique coaching staff tidbit this AM.
 

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Final: Carolina 11, Augusta (Braves) 5

Late Rally Leads Mudcats to 11-5 Victory - Luis Lara had four hits and Kay-Lan Nicasia drove in three while pacing the Carolina offense

Pre-Game Media Notes 

Box Score / Game Log

Oh, Luis Lara, several others in the lineup Friday deserve their share of the spotlight as well, but we just can't take our eyes off of you (or wipe the smiles from our faces). The switch-hitter (must be taller than 5'7" by now, right?) won't turn 19 until November.

Sure, 32 of Lara's 38 hits thus far are singles, but his OBP is .455 and he has 25 walks, two HBP's, vs. fanning only 14 times in 115 at-bats.

It's a completely different profile than last season's A-Ball superhero, but each massively impressive:

Other than RHP Pedro Fernandez with Nashville, it was a brutal night for full-season affiliate starting pitchers. For Mudcats' RHP Alexander Vallecillo, this effort was totally out-of-character, as evidenced by his 2023 game logs. Vallecillo even plunked two in addition to the five he walked in 1.2 innings. Just beautiful work by two relievers who both turned 23 years old this spring, Tyler Wehrle and Shane Smith. They will both be down for a few days after these multi-inning workloads.

Barrios - Nicasia - Adams - Avina: each worth your box score review on this night.

The camera work out of Augusta was hardly ideal, but kudos to the Mudcats' staff for collecting bountiful road game highlights regardless (Twitter media link).
 

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Final: ACL Brewers 8, ACL Cubs 3

Box Score / Game Log

7-2 record now for the Blue & Gold (we miss when each color had their own squad). Four-run second inning provided a 5-0 lead.

In his age 17 season and in his 2nd pro season (1st stateside), RHP Manuel Rodriguez, a native of Mexico, allowed only a single in facing just that one over the minimum in four sterling relief innings.

The A-Crew reached base 18 times via hit (four doubles), HBP and walk, so the box score is your friend here.

Three more stolen bases for Canuck Dylan O'Rae (nine on the young season without being caught).

Oh hi, Keston Hiura! Playing left field, Hiura doubled and singled (one K) in three trips to the plate. Rehabbing INF Josh VanMeter has only 25 AB's on the season, 5-for-13 in Maryvale, all singles.
 

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Final: DSL Twins 12, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 1

Box Score / Game Log

The Twins youngsters scored in six of the first seven innings, including five runs in the first. Four of the seven runs allowed by 17-year-old Venezuelan RHP Gabriel Colmenarez were unearned, but that doesn't mean he was that much sharper (2 BB, HBP, WP sprinkled within his outing). Colmenarez' two rookie mound-mates would allow five combined runs (four earned) over the final five innings.

Sometimes it's better to be dominated while at the plate in a game like this, at least then you tip your cap to the opposing staff. But the Cerveceros Uno drew eight walks, were 2-for-12 with RISP, and stranded 11. Three of the four hits were singles (17-year-old Venezuelan SS and leadoff man Joan Gutierrez doubled and walked). It was the 4th double among the ten hits thus far for the LH swinger, sporting a pretty .955 OPS through his first eight pro games. Gutierrez was caught stealing for the 2nd time in four attempts, however, after opening the game with a base on balls.

Mix in three errors committed by the Uno Boys and there won't be a lot of highlighted compliments in the coaching game reports after this one.

The team still sits at a fine 6-3 despite the loss here.
 

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Final: DSL Brewers #2 Squad 10, DSL Guardians Red 3

Box Score / Game Log

This game is more befitting of today's weather for both Dominican contests.

86 degrees, sunny, 1 MPH wind.

Big surprise, right?

The Dos Brothers moved to 5-4 and had the Cleveland entry seeing red in this home game. We've been seeing game times consistently fall in the 3 hour, 30 minute plus territory since the start of the season, no change here. Not sure you're noticed an occasional 04:00:00 notation as well. With the tropical weather, why let a phantom pitch clock interfere?

Nine hits for the good guys, including three doubles. Guardian pitchers walked 11 and threw six wild pitches. The Cerveceros Dos batters only had six RBI vs. the ten runs scored. Thank you, inexperienced opponent arms.

Second-year infielder Demetrio Nadal (DH'ing in the 9-hole here) was 17-for-20 in SB attempts last summer. On Friday, he was 4-for-4 and has not been caught in six attempts in 2023. He singled, walked twice, and scored three runs.

It will be nice when we are a full month in to see how things are trending beyond just "hot starts". But among the players beyond Nadal who padded their strong first week-and-a-half numbers on Friday were:

• 2B Luis Lameda - 2 singles, 3 walks, SB (one CS), 2 RBI, 1 run (1.083 OPS)
• 3B Roderick Flores - double, single, walk, 2 RBI, 1 run (1.035 OPS)
• RHP Aneuris Rodriguez - 4.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 Ks, 1 WP (1.04 ERA)

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The Maryvale Brewers have an immediate rematch with their Cubbie foe Saturday afternoon, and as always, the Dominican games are daytime affairs. On the full-season affiliate menu, it's all evening action with only Nashville playing before adoring home fans. We'll detail it all for you on Sunday AM. Enjoy your Saturday!

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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[Joseph Zarr]

He's here. He's there. He's every friggin-where. He's Jim Goulart.

I always appreciate your ability to offer us those far-reaching tidbits and media bytes. Who else would bring us the news 2023 Wisconsin pitching coach, Drew Thomas, is heading to the UCF staff for their inaugural Big 12 season in 2024?

Thanks for the report!

[CheeseheadInQC]

Luis Lara is currently second in K/BB among all low-A players with at least 100 at bats. As an 18 year old.

He is not alone on that Carolina roster when it comes to making contact according to Fangraphs' stats.

Given that same 100 at bat threshold, they have seven Brewers prospects among the 50 lowest swinging strike rates in low-A. They have 5 of the 15 in that group who are in their age 18 or 19 season (Lara, Guilarte, Areinamo, Adams and Barrios).