Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/22): A Game to Forget in Nashville, but Much Goodness Elsewhere

[Jim Goulart]

The big-league Brewers are in desperate need of starting pitcher assistance ASAP. There were auditions on Saturday night, and they were fantastic. Unfortunately, realistic ETA's on Logan Henderson (mid-season 2025, Yujanyer Herrera 2026, and Josh Knoth 2027) mean we instead sadly espouse on another Aaron Ashby misfire below.

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Let's go through the Transaction updates and then kick off the Saturday evening review.

 

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Transactions:

Nashville Sounds activated C Eric Haase from the Milwaukee Taxi Squad
Nashville Sounds placed C Nick Kahle on the temporarily inactive list
Nashville Sounds sent RHP Easton McGee on a rehab assignment to ACL Brewers
RHP Tyler Bryant assigned to Carolina Mudcats from ACL Brewers
ACL Brewers activated LHP Bjorn Johnson from the 7-day injured list
RHP Jesus Flores assigned to ACL Brewers from DSL Brewers 2
RHP Esmir Suarez of DSL Brewers 1 transferred from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list

A reminder on who Easton McGee is, as the Brewers signed him to a two-year minor league deal last November. Milwaukee has his rights through 2025, which will be his age 27 season. McGee had Tommy John surgery in May 2023. The 6'7" McGee is the author of two successful MLB appearances, a relief outing for Tampa in 2022 and a single 6.2 inning start for Seattle early in 2023.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Durham (Rays) 14, Nashville 4
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:

Pitching Costs Hot Chickens Against the Bulls on Saturday Night - Francisco Mejía has three hits in 14-4 loss

Labrum tear.

Yeah, it's as ominous as it reads. As fans, we have to come to terms that the Aaron Ashby experience is going to remain exasperating for some time, perhaps always. I can't imagine where Ashby's head is at. But he placed one important $20.5 million signature on a guaranteed contract through 2027 that surely stabilizes his state of mind. Disregard the $22 million in 2028 and 2029 team option years (for now, at least).

In the rout, Rick Sweet got struggling Patrick Dorrian in for two at-bats (0-for-2). Dorian is 1-for-46 (.022) in home games this year.

Joey Wiemer (0-for-5, three K's, now hitting .219). 

OK, Garrett Mitchell, singled, walked and stole a base. Francisco Mejia got earned praise in the game summary.

Let's move on.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 5, Rocket City (Angels) 0
Box Score and Game Log

Henderson Dominates Over 5.1 Innings, Shuckers Shut Out Trash Pandas - Shuckers clinch series win in second shutout victory of the week

Apology from me, yesterday I indicated that Biloxi had ended the first-half portion of their season Thursday night. That was incorrect, and the second half for the Shuckers will begin on Tuesday.

 

There's more video via the Biloxi "X" feed, including a nice three-highlight combo post from the offensive standpoint.

Biloxi was 6-for-7 in SB attempts. Everyone but newcomer infielder Casey Martin contributed within their box score lines. The team played clean defense. The bullpen shined (3.3 scoreless, 0 BB, 6 K).

As Javik Blake's summary indicated, Logan Henderson did not have a 1-2-3 inning, but that actually may enhance the overall effectiveness of his outing. Henderson was pulled with 82 pitches in his pocket after the leadoff man in the 6th popped out. That seems like a very reasonable pitch count level given Henderson's build-up for 2024.

Mike Boeve was absent for a second night after his extended streak of games played ended at 51. Hug watch, anyone? It's a bit early for that, or is it?

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 7, Fort Worth (Padres) 4
Box Score and Game Log

Rodriguez Homers Twice in Wisconsin Win - Rattlers beat TinCaps 7-4 with a gritty victory

That game summary includes video highlights, so click above as always. 

You'll also learn that starter Yujanyer Herrera needed 38 pitches to end the first inning. If not for the final force out of the frame, so much is different. The bullpen usage, Manager Victor Estevez' peace of mind, etc. Huge props to Herrera, who only needed 50 pitches to get through the next four frames scoreless.

The Eduardo Garcia transition to center field is not dead, as evidenced here.

Luke Adams walked twice, helping to maintain an OPS north of .800.

The Gregory Barrios / Jadher Areinamo up-the-middle combo is fun to follow, despite an Areinamo error in this one (missed catch).

When Ramon Rodriguez, hits one out, watch out. Notice the game summary nugget - just five long balls on the season, but two two-HR games.

 

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Final: Carolina 6, Columbia (Royals) 0
Box Score and Game Log

Mudcats Shutout Fireflies

Especially for road games, the Carolina summaries are short and thanks to victories, sweet.

We love us some Josh Knoth. Clearly the Brewers have handled his development path adroitly, did not see formal action in Maryvale last summer, and smartly eased into action in 2024. We are seeing the benefits, now 12 starts in. 

VIDEO: Josh Knoth's seventh strikeout of the game

I love the holding the glove to his mouth immediately after the swing and miss, like yeah, "take that, dude".

RH reliever Brailin Rodriguez retired all seven he faced, four by way of strikeout.

Eight of the nine young men in the lineup reached multiple times (sorry, Yhoswar Garcia and your .310 batting average). I've referred to batting average more than once this AM, occasionally it's still a thing worth noting, I guess).

Not just multiple times, but four of the eight reached thrice. I'll save my keyboard wear-and-tear and allow you to have box score perusal fun to identify the foursome.

Over 8,100 in attendance in Columbia, and they had little to cheer outside of Bluey (yes, it was Bluey night). That's a nice atmosphere for these low-A ball Mudcat kids to show up and dominate.

 

This affiliate has been a joy since Day One (the club started the season 3-0).

 

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Final: ACL Rangers 9, ACL Brewers 4, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

The afore-mentioned Easton McGee allowed a leadoff double and a two-out single in his first rehab stint, naturally limited to the one inning. 

Bjorn Johnson, the 19-year-old southpaw plucked in the 12th round out of a Washington state high school last summer, allowed a hit, a walk, and an unearned run in his first appearance in a month.

Speaking of returns after lengthy absences, welcome back to German-born catcher Yannic Walther, who actually came back on Thursday after a near six-week shutdown. He is 2-for-3 at the plate in the two games.

But let's face it, you came for the Eric Bitonti update. The 18-year-old LH-swinging third baseman (DH'ing here) yanked a home run to right in his first inning at-bat. Next time up, he pushed a two-run big fly to left-center field. For fun, he beat out a ground ball back to the pitcher in his final trip to the plate. The 6'4" (listed, perhaps still growing) Bitonti is slugging a ridiculous .593 after 108 at-bats, 16 of his 33 knocks for extra-bases, six clearing the fence. Don't wake me from visions of Brock Wilken and Bitonti forming a beast-mode L-R corner infield combination in a few years. 

 

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Final: DSL Brewers #1 Squad 7, DSL Brewers #2 Squad 0, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Weather: 85 degrees, Sunny.

Told 'ya.

Team Uno now 10-5, Team Dos 7-7.

Dominican-born 17-year-old RHP Dariel Jaquez is off to a nice pro start after three outings. 

In his third outing for the #2 club, 18-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Josue Toledo allowed two runs over four innings without issuing a walk, by far the strongest of his three games pitched thus far.

Let's just admit it. We are all going to click on the box score here primarily for two reasons: Jesus Made and Luis Pena. Outside of some not normal baserunning adventures for Pena, you won't be disappointed, especially if you then click on their respective player pages and devour their season-to-date numbers, each with 49 AB's thus far.

 

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Just the four full-season affiliates play on Sunday, as the rookie kids all head to the indoor pools or beaches available. Have a great Sunday, everyone.

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