Your 2023 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

[Jim Goulart]

Timber Rattlers’ Opening Night is Friday 4/7 - at Beloit (Marlins)

The Wisconsin formal announcement next week will come directly from the Timber Rattlers, not the Brewers.

Biloxi 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 Timber Rattlers 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]

Wisconsin announces a 31-man Opening Day roster, with 16 pitchers and 15 position players: 

PITCHERS (16): Luis Amaya, Bo Bowman, Ryan Brady, Alexander Cornielle, Stiven Cruz, Taylor Floyd, Joseph Hernandez, Brannon Jordan, Justin King, Max Lazar, Joey Matulovich, Karlos Morales, Russell Smith, Michele Vassalotti, Cam Wagoner, Tyler Woessner

CATCHERS (3): Alex Hall, Darrien Miller, Jose Sibrian

INFIELDERS (7): Jose Acosta, Eric Brown, Jr, Jesús Chirinos, Eduardo García, Ernesto Martínez, Jr, Ben Metzinger, Robert Moore

OUTFIELDERS (5): Micah Bello, Terence Doston, Joe Gray Jr, Hendry Mendez, Je’Von Ward

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Ryan Brady skips low A.  Those 4 IP in Arizona last year must have really impressed.

[Harold Hutchison]

Miller repeating A+ is a shock to me. I really thought he'd be partnering with Quero in AA.

[sveumrules]

3 minutes ago, clancyphile said:

Miller repeating A+ is a shock to me. I really thought he'd be partnering with Quero in AA.

245 SB vs only 34 CS the last two years.

At a certain point a catcher needs to be able to throw people out.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

@damuelle I appreciate the mention regarding Ryne Moore.  Also, I was told that (similar to the Pirates system with Endy Rodriguez and Henry Davis) the Quero/Miller placements were more about making sure they get at bats every day rather than Miller’s issues controlling the running game, although that is obviously a concern.  The only question was who would get which assignment as it was pretty much a toss-up in terms of Milwaukee’s confidence in their bats as, of course, both represent a formidable presence in the lineup.

[Joseph Zarr]

Yeah, no mention of two of my absolute favorites in Henderson and Garabitos has me all sorts of 

on this fine Monday. Henderson, especially, with his no ramp up to anything in fall or spring. Rest well, mend up, my sweet Princes! Sigh.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

LHP Pablo Garabitos expects to be in Wisconsin by the end of the month or early May at the latest as he rehabs a minor arm issue that is not elbow related.

[Ro Mueller]

It looks like Manager Joe Ayrault will have a rather experienced roster, bolstered in part by a number of respectable players who find themselves repeating in High-A. I'll break down players on the roster by age:

• 25 - Kaleb "Bo" Bowman, Joey Matulovich, Taylor Floyd, Justin King
• 24 - Brannon Jordan, Luis Amaya, Russell Smith, Jose Sibrian, Ryan Brady
• 23 - Max Lazar, Alex Hall, Ernesto Martinez, Ben Metzinger, Karlos Morales, Je'Von Ward, Tyler Woessner, Joe Gray Jr., Jose Acosta
• 22 - Joseph Hernandez, Micah Bello, Michele Vassalotti, Terence Doston, Eric Brown Jr., Darrien Miller
• 21 - Cameron Wagoner, Jesus Chirinos, Alexander Cornielle, Stiven Cruz, Robert Moore
• 20 - Eduardo Garcia
• 19 - Hendry Mendez

[Joseph Zarr]

They've been giving brief updates here and there to the stadium and clubhouse renovations and upgrades they've been diligently working on at Fox Cities Stadium all throughout the off-season...I've watched several of the vids as they've progressed. I have to say, for a High-A clubhouse...this is legit:

 

I can tell you, the players certainly love their new digs:

(left-to-right by my eye here: Karlos Morales (??), Michele Vassalotti, and Kaleb Bowman)

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Ro Mueller]

We can never have enough Timber Rattlers' season previews: 

 

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jake McKibbin]

2 minutes ago, Mass Haas said:

 

Do you think EBJ's performances this season could have a big impact on the situation with Adames contract? Or other 2B more likely to have this impact?

[Joseph Zarr]

On 4/11/2023 at 3:21 AM, Jake McKibbin said:

Do you think EBJ's performances this season could have a big impact on the situation with Adames contract? Or other 2B more likely to have this impact?

I personally do not. EBJ has a long way to go. If anything impacts Adames' situation it is the simple fact the Brewers are a small market club with a limited budget and the SS market is insane in 2023. I sure as heck hope they can get it done, but the reality is he may be priced out of the Brewers range. This is life in the MLB. If anything, I imagine the Brewers consider Brice Turang their replacement plan - remember, SS is actually Turang's primary position. All the fantastic defense he performs at 2B? He's just as good if not better at SS. Start following INF Robert Moore's progression. He's as solid as they come for young 2B's. He's been fantastic since Day 1 and has gotten better after a fantastic Aussie Winter League run.

[Joseph Zarr]

The renovations and clubhouse improvements the T-Rats made in the 2022 off-season are legitimately fantastic. Look at the quality of these ping pong and air hockey tables in the clubhouse. Ridiculously nice!

 

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday 4/13:

Via WSCO's "The Show with Leo and Balky: Timber Rattlers Manager Joe Ayrault (go to the 13:00 minute mark) 

Via WSCO's "The Show with Leo and Balky: Timber Rattlers shortstop Eric Brown, Jr. (go to the 11:20 minute mark) 

[TURBO]

This has been a really fun team to watch so far!  They have some hitters!!!!!

I don't think Robert Moore will be in Appleton long, he is a man playing with boys at the moment!

[Jim Goulart]

T-Rat Talk with Tyler Woessner
Woessner Brings Championship Pedigree to Wisconsin
By Kyle Lobner

Enjoy Kyle's article, which includes this brief Q&A:
 

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Wed. 5/10: Post-Crescent Photo Gallery

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday 5/11:

Via WSCO's "The Show with Leo and Balky: Voice of the Timber Rattlers Chris Mehring (go to the 12:00 minute mark) 

Via WSCO's "The Show with Leo and Balky: Timber Rattlers Manager Joe Ayrault (go to the 09:20 minute mark)