Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/26): A Wild Wisconsin Road Win Caps an Otherwise Frustrating Day

[Jim Goulart]

Thank you, Timber Rattlers, for salvaging Sunday's won-loss record with an unusually late-night roadtrip-ending effort. The Sounds, Shuckers and Mudcats all came up short, with the Biloxi result becoming all too common. 

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Let's build on the details provided by each affiliate in the report below.

 

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Transactions:

• Milwaukee Brewers optioned OF Joey Wiemer to Nashville Sounds.
• Milwaukee Brewers recalled 2B Oliver Dunn from Nashville Sounds.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Charlotte (White Sox) 4, 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:

Vihuelas Come Up Just Short in Series Finale - Nashville gets within a run, fails to come up with big hit in 4-3 loss to Charlotte

Always so many nuggets within the Nashville game summary.

Via our forum thread, it wasn't a sparkling defensive afternoon for Tyler Black at first base.

For nearly any other big-league organization, based on his 2024 performance thus far, southpaw reliever Rob Zastryzny would have been added to a 40-man and 26-man roster by now. But as our Matthew Trueblood wrote on Sunday morning, the Brewers are already as well-positioned from the port side of the bullpen as any team. At this moment, a rough break for Zastryzny (and yes, I continue to utilize copy and paste to name him rather than any attempt at free form typing).

Additional video clip highlights via the Sounds "X" feed.

One walk and one HBP in 5.1 IP represents progress for RHP Tyler Woessner in his AAA orientation.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 8, Biloxi 4
Box Score and Game Log

Late Push from Barons Spoils Shuckers Comeback Attempt in Series Finale - Shuckers battle back from 3-1 deficit, five-run eighth leads Barons to victory

The Shuckers have a chance at a historically frightful homestand, as the team is only half-way through a 12-game stretch, winless thus far.

This was the capper of six video clips posted by the team:

See the others here.

RH starter Bradley Blalock shook off the rust of an idle MLB call-up, walking one and fanning one in 4.1 innings, his line aided by additional yeoman's work by RH reliever Kaleb Bowman. Blalock has fanned only 30 in 40 AA innings (eight starts).

Team RISP: 3-for-16.
Team LOB: 13.

The Shuckers drew nine walks, three by catcher Darrien Miller, who also reached via his career-long penchant of getting plunked. Biloxi's eight hits included the Wilken home run above and an Ernesto Martinez, Jr. double. Need to plate more than four runs.

Outfielder Carlos D. Rodriguez, playing center field here, singled twice and walked twice, lifting his 2024 line to .320/.407/.376. Despite the lack of pop, Rodriguez is set to be a popular minor league free agent target, since he won't even turn 24 years old until December. Will the Brewers add Rodriguez to the 40-man roster to prevent him from moving on? It's more likely they'll try to entice him with an enhanced salary to sign a new minor league pact for 2025, a la Ernesto Martinez and Harold Chirino last fall.

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 9, South Bend (Cubs) 8, 11 innings
Box Score and Game Log

Rattlers Survive 11-Inning Test of Nerves with South Bend - Wisconsin hangs on for 9-8 win in series finale with Cubs

VIDEO: Brewers No. 22 prospect Jadher Areinamo tallies a season-high four RBIs with three hits and a stolen base for High-A Wisconsin

I've been doing this long enough to know that when the Timber Rattlers are involved in a wild affair like this, particularly a road game when video is very limited, don't try and recreate excitement here within the notes. Simply defer to Chris Mehring's detailed write-up linked above.

What a crazy way for RHP Edwin Jimenez (eight appearances, now two in relief) to move to 7-0 on the season. Regarding the Jimenez injury that Chris referred to, our Joseph Zarr was watching live and documented things starting here, for an MiLB TV archive subscribers can find here.

This is such a cool paragraph via Chris, he's simply the best in the business (Cornielle's not shabby, either):

The Cubs (18-27) did something in the bottom of the third against Wisconsin starting pitcher Alexander Cornielle that no other team had done this month. They scored a run. Cornielle’s scoreless inning streak ended at 20-2/3 innings on a two-out, RBI single by Pedro Ramirez.

That overnight bus ride home must have been so sweet. As we noted yesterday, no getaway day game offered by South Bend, and then the contest runs nearly three and a half hours.

 

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Final: Myrtle Beach (Cubs) 8, Carolina 7
Box Score and Game Log

Late Rally Lifts Myrtle Beach Past Mudcats

Team RISP: 3-for-18.
Team LOB: 11.

So often RISP is the unheralded story of these games. The Mudcats were successful on all seven of their stolen base attempts, including three by Yhoswar Garcia, who saw action in both left and center field in this one. 

Garcia shifted to center because the starter there, Yophery Rodriguez, was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the 4th. Rodriguez had caught a flyout for the first out in the top of the 4th. I reviewed the MiLB TV subscriber archive at the 02:14:00 hour/minute mark here, and there was absolutely nothing unusual about the can-of-corn catch.

Was Rodriguez under the weather? Perhaps we'll find out down the road later this week, but it's more likely that unless there is an injured list stint of note, we won't find out.

Catch both Luis Castillo home runs within this double-tweet:

Find it hilarious the team capitalized WATCHES after I had recently made note of Castillo's proclivity for admiring his work. The young man (20 years old all season) signed for $62,500 out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, so he fell in that middle area well under bonus baby territory, but not an afterthought signing either. Castillo's 25 RBI trails only Yophery's 28 on the club, while his seven blasts are three more than any other Mudcat.

The collection of Carolina pitchers hit two batters and threw six wild pitches. Low-A and rookie-level box scores (Maryvale off on Sunday) can be so inviting.

I'm really hoping you all took in yesterday's Link Report as well, where I wrote: "He (Juan Baez) is thoroughly fascinating and entertaining, not to mention eminently productive. Did I mention he's still just 18 years old?"

First home run for Juan at this level, seven previous blasts in the Dominican (3) and Maryvale (4) in similar sample sizes.

 

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We will report on the Monday Maryvale game as part of a two-game update within the Link Report detailing Tuesday's games.

This past week has brought back memories of years gone by providing near daily updates for you, but I now gladly welcome back Joseph and Daniel for their outstanding work before I sit back in the passenger's seat until my usual weekend shifts. Until then, everyone!

And oh, hey, hi there Craig! What have you been up to?

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]

Really a pleasure to read these reports during what was a very over-saturated personal week. Thanks for all the efforts, Jim. 

 

[Ro Mueller]

That’s a lot of output in just a few days, Jim. Thanks and great job!

Hoping for better overall results this upcoming week, our last before the DSL gents start their season.