Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/13): Aaron Ashby Struggles Again, Also Let's Talk Unavoidable Injuries

[Jim Goulart]

The Brewers have always staffed Trainer and Strength Development areas for each affiliate. It appears that in recent seasons, even to a greater extent. These are areas which are rightly being emphasized. While the Brewers will certainly face their share of pitcher injuries throughout 2024, it's been prominent position players victimized in recent days, and all in ways that no amount of preparation could have avoided. Jeferson Quero injures his labrum diving back to first base to avoid a pickoff. Brock Wilken takes a pitch to his face and suffers multiple fractures. Read below to learn more about Cooper Pratt's broken pinkie finger. No amount of preparation on protecting soft body muscles and tissues will fend off injuries such as those. Buzzard luck to a great extent, unfortunately.

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

The organization avoided one thing on Saturday - makeup games! The resulting action saw a W-L split. Let's see what happened, but first, our daily transaction updates:

Transactions:

• Milwaukee Brewers sent RHP Trevor Megill on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
• Carolina Mudcats placed SS Cooper Pratt on the 7-day injured list.
• 2B Jose Acosta assigned to Carolina Mudcats from Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
• Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated 3B Ben Metzinger.

Acosta was acquired via a cash trade from Texas in late May of 2022. The now-24-year-old has only played for the Timber Rattlers in the time since, where he has seen inconsistent playing time. But Acosta is now returned to the A-Ball level he was at with the Rangers due to the need at Carolina to backfill for Pratt's broken pinky finger.

I took another MiLB.TV subscriber look at the game in which Pratt exited (the 02:14:25 hour/minute mark via this link). You'll see him line a single to left field, just smoked it. Two pitches later, with Tayden Hall at the plate, Pratt successfully steals second base, but shakes his left hand (glove hand) for a bit while remaining in the game. He was removed after returning to the dugout. Pratt was wearing batting-type gloves, not the oven-mitt version.

Yesterday my fellow Link Reporter Daniel detailed the recent departures of four players who had yet to reach stateside from the Brewers' system. Today he has the career details and best wishes for five players who were cut from the Maryvale complex squad on that same April 5th date.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final, Memphis (Cardinals) 8, Nashville 3
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Rough Third Inning the Difference in Sounds Defeat - Owen Miller has three hits in 8-3 loss

We only get to see three of LHP Aaron Ashby's pitches via the Redbirds' Twitter feed, but seven earned runs on seven hits (six singles, one double), three walks, one HBP, a wild pitch, and only 33 strikes on 64 pitches all squeezed into just 2.1 innings, is clearly sub-par.

Did all in the Brewers' chain agree with pitching Ashby on traditional four days' rest coming off his 82-pitch big-league outing and the travel day back to AAA that followed? Would one additional day have proven beneficial? That point was brought up in our nightly Minor League Forum thread.

The organization can say all they want about Ashby's path back to success. It's a shoulder injury, folks. Those throughout baseball can label it however they wish. When I was a much more youthful fan, it seemed every shoulder injury was called a rotator cuff injury. Now we have labrum's, scapula's, etc. You know what, no matter the name, they are all and always have been career-altering in severe ways. Best wishes, Aaron. While we're at it, you too, Brandon.

Trevor Megill had an adventurous scoreless rehab frame - two walks and a base hit.

Tyler Black DH'd his way to two singles, two walks and a stolen base (finally his first of 2024). Owen Miller is Owen Miller'ing, which is fine, because it seems he's a likable dude, but it doesn't seem need creates opportunity for him at this time. 

As the Sounds have done in their detailed game reports and media notes, the bullpen has been immense. Keep a particular eye on 28-year-old former Astros RHP Enoli Paredes should anybody get an "owie" in the Crew's MLB pen.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 6, Mississippi (Braves) 1
Box Score and Game Log

Garcia's First Double-A Home Run Leads Biloxi to 6-1 Win - Shuckers lineup sets season-high with 12 hits, staff sets high with 16 strikeouts

It appears the Brewers are going to wait until the Shuckers return home on Tuesday to backfill Brock Wilken's roster spot.

Saturday's lineup had Ethan Murray at third base, Eric Brown, Jr. at shortstop, and Freddy Zamora manning second. Wes Clarke was the DH as Zavier Warren sat idle. There are enough position player bodies on hand still (12) that perhaps the answer is to further equip the pitching staff. The 28-man roster limit helps.

That's just one of eight video clips provided on the Biloxi "X" feed. And that's for a road game, yet. Just killing it on our behalf, thanks.

July 10, 2018 - that's when the Brewers signed prominent international shortstop Eduardo Garcia out of Venezuela. Yet, Garcia doesn't turn 22 until July. Garcia's .606 OPS with the Timber Rattlers in 2023 was sadly ineffective, to be honest. He's not going to maintain an .872 OPS (where he sits through six games), but the brand-new transition to center field could wind up fascinating.

We should be fine with RHP Tyler Woessner being pulled after four innings and 77 pitches. Another fantastic line as the game story and box score detail, protect that impressively building career path. When Joe Ayrault can follow up with the efforts posted by Nick Merkel, southpaw Justin King, and Shane Smith, he can go for it.

Catcher and human magnet Darrien Miller made his 2024 debut and naturally was plunked (52 HBP's in his career, topped by 24 in his 2022 at Wisconsin).

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: South Bend (Cubs) 11, Wisconsin 3
Box Score and Game Log

Cubs Use Big Sixth Inning to Beat Rattlers - Wisconsin falls 11-3 at South Bend

Tough one here to glean even a sprinkle of success in this one. Bright side? T-Rats still at 5-3 overall.

Only three knocks, one an Eduarqui Fernandez RBI double. Focus on the game log's 4th inning for what was a short-lived 3-0 lead.

Dominican native 22-year-old RHP Alexander Cornielle is back for a 2nd go with the Rattlers. He pitched into the 6th (walk, single) and shortly thereafter reliever Jake Polancic saw this happen, ouch.

Tough mound night all around. Whether fair or not, when reviewing box scores, my eyes are always drawn to the inherited runners row. There are different flavors within, especially number of outs. But it can provide a wider lens into starting pitcher's lines.

 

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Final: Carolina 7, Down East (Rangers) 5
Box Score and Game Log

Monster Fourth Inning Powers Mudcats to Fourth Straight Win - Carolina scores seven times in their highest scoring inning of the year

How about them 7-1 Muddies?!

First of all, check out the pollen inspired jersey! The nose knows!

Inherited runners-scored: Rivero 2-0; Pena, Je 1-0.

See what I mean? That's a big stat line in a close game.

Venezuelan RHP Jesus Rivero turns 21 in a month. Rivero had a sneaky-successful 2023 split between Maryvale and Carolina, as his MiLB.com page indicates. Bases on balls will need to be monitored, but you can't overlook the positive K/9 and H/9 figures.

Every player in the lineup contributed, as the box score showed you. Sacrifice flies aren't sexy, but they are effective in contributing to wins.

Pretty clear first baseman Tayden Hall (1.236 OPS through eight games) brought a ton of confidence stateside upon his return from a sweet Australian League stint.

 

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Enjoy your traditional afternoon slate of Sunday matinees, everyone! We'll also be looking for a Colin-Rae-of-sunshine vs. Corbin Burnes, right?

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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[Seth Stohs]

Uggh! I hate injuries to prospects. 

Have they given any timelines for return on Wilken or Pratt? We know Quero's out for the year. 

[Cambo888]

Some really impressive outings from the Shuckers bullpen early in the year.  Will see if it continues as batters get more reps in and begin to figure out the pitchers.  IF shuckers can gain that early lead, this impressive bullpen of Meeker, the two Smiths, King, Yeager, and Gardner are showing they can hold it.