Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/2): Another Set of Contests Stuffed with Positives

[Jim Goulart]

Counting two wins in the rookie Dominican League Friday, Brewers affiliates had a 4-2 day. However, we all know that sometimes there can be development victories within losses, and that was the case in Zebulon, North Carolina. On the flip side of the other loss, Nashville's lopsided road defeat had little to offer unless you're the prime member of the Vinny Capra fan club. We'll discuss tight home wins for Biloxi and Wisconsin here as well. So, as we like to say...

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Let's get on to our Report!

 

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Transactions:

• INF Jadher Areinamo activated from High-A Wisconsin's 7-day injured list
• RHP Enniel Cortez placed on Low-A Carolina's 7-day injured list, effective August 1

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes - Unavailable for this date
Final: Gwinnett (Braves) 11, Nashville 2
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:

Sounds Trail Early and Had No Answer in Loss to Stripers - Vinny Capra hit home run, double and scores twice in 11-2 defeat

So, the Gwinnett Stripers (and yes, it's too easy to read that too quickly and add an extra "p") play in the city of Lawrenceville, Georgia. Gwinnett isn't even a city, it's the county in which Lawrenceville resides. We can't quibble that the team claims the entire county. The High-A team we root for claims their entire state, including the city of its parent club!

If you think I'm delaying discussing game details here, you're right. The game summary you just highlighted noted Vinny Capra's near-cycle, and Capra remains the automatic choice for another promotion should anything befall Andruw Monasterio or Joey Ortiz, thanks to Capra's 40-man roster status.

That Nashville write-up and I are on the same page. Spotlighting Brewer Hicklen's efforts in this loss is the right thing to do, as one can argue that Hicklen had usurped Joey Wiemer's place in the organization even before the trade deadline deal shipping Wiemer to the Reds. Wiemer has stumbled to consecutive 0-for-5 games for AAA Louisville to open his Cincinnati organization tenure, in a very unfair microscopic sample note. Hicklen is tied for the league lead in steals while also being in the top 10 in OPS, HR and RBI. Yeah, damn right Milwaukee added him to their 40-man when Hicklen activated his opt-out July 15th.

Our only Hicklen disappointment? Brewer is his middle name (Charles). But he's been called Brewer since childhood, so he can roll with it.

Tyler Black had the night off.

Rough outing for RHP Easton McGee. However, this was his first start (other than Maryvale) since he remarkably did this on April 29th, 2023. I remain a big fan of this two-year signing by the Crew covering 2024-2025. Tobias Myers was inked to a two-year minor league deal that morphed into his magical current season.

And finally on the Sounds, sad face -

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 3, Rocket City (Angels) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Boeve, Henderson lead Shuckers to Third Straight Win over Trash Pandas - Boeve drives in all three runs, records first homer back from Injured List

Before we get to Mr. Boeve, can we all just assume we all follow the Brewers Player Development "X" account religiously? Sometimes, and I'm as guilty of it as any here, we don't always link to those posts because we just assume you've all seen them.

 

Brock was a more modest 1-for-4 (single) in this game. Speaking of @BrewersPD, make sure you catch the pre-game interview with the man behind the account from earlier this week.

Yes, welcome back, Mike Boeve, that swing still looks sweet. With no more official Maryvale games this summer, we don't know if Boeve (or any returning injured player the remainder of the season) is getting rehab game action in unofficial contests in Arizona. Otherwise, players like perhaps Boeve in this case, are working out with their assigned club and simply get plopped back in the lineup or on the mound when deemed ready.

There is much more available - more Boeve, Logan Henderson (our October 40-man roster lock), etc. via the Biloxi "X" feed.

Pitching mastery throughout in this one (love this note from Voice of the Shuckers Javik Blake), especially Henderson's zero walks (one HBP) and eight K's, 59 of 79 pitches for strikes.

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 4, South Bend (Cubs) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Areinamo Aces Return to Wisconsin’s Lineup - Rattlers DH goes 3-for-4 and finishes a triple shy of the cycle in 4-2 victory

Timber Rattlers back home means the best game review routine in all of MiLB returns:

1. Read Chris Mehring's wonderful game summary
2. Sit back for five and a half minutes of quality highlights
3. Listen to the Postgame Podcast w/Chris and Kyle Lobner while devouring the remaining Link Report

Sure, he was eased back to action as the designated hitter coming off his hamstring "tweak", but Jadher Areinamo's importance to the Rattlers club is tough to understate.

Luke Adams lifts his OBP to .450 after a double, single, sacrifice fly. Everyone, that's not a misprint. Oh yeah, he doesn't turn 21 until next April. Nod your head in agreement with me, you veteran Brewers fans - Corey Hart was a similarly drafted tall high schooler (11th round, 2000, Adams 12th round, 2022) who played a very unorthodox style and eventually settled into a defensive home (TBD with Adams, 1B/3B, etc.). If Adams has a Hart-like career, we'll all be the better for it, including Luke's wallet!

 

The Brewers are an organizational machine, and I hope we all appreciate it. Someone was allowed to have the voice to speak up for RHP KC Hunt despite a very disjointed Mississippi State career that saw him post a 7.67 ERA in 53 games (and only three starts). That voice prompted a non-drafted free agent signing. Hunt is thriving in a starting role now and completely re-writing his career path. We are spoiled by this era of top-to-bottom Brewers efficiency.

 

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Final: Charleston (Rays) 6, Carolina 5, eleven innings
Box Score and Game Log

Big Inning Lifts Mudcats Past Red Sox 

You'll remember we kicked off today's report noting we find big positives within losses. No problem here!

About that top-notch organizational machine, how about that deftly maneuvered 2023 amateur draft that netted (with much, much more) 3rd round thunder-god Eric Bitonti and 15th round fellow high school pick Josh Adamczewski.

Adamczewski was on base four more times (OPS 1.529 four games into his Mudcats career after stellar prolonged work in Maryvale) and Bitonti, well, actions speak louder than words:

Bitonti is 18 years old until mid-November. He's going to outgrow any "manchild" moniker quickly, but it's an apt title now. Goodness. I do like my just anointed "Thunder-God", however.

Hello to 19-year-old Venezuelan native LHP Anthony Flores! That's how you make a full-season debut and impress upon arrival from Maryvale - five scoreless, hitless innings of relief behind RHP Josh Knoth (a rare mis-fire night for Knoth), allowing your teammates to rally late to send the game to extras. Given the scarcity of southpaws at the rookie levels for the Crew, the Brewers seemingly wisely looked past Flores' 6.23 Arizona ERA and gave him the opportunity he took advantage of Friday night.

C'mon Mudcats management - really nice gesture, but you can afford full-size ice cream sandwiches next time 🍦!

 

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Final: DSL Brewers #1 Squad 6, DSL Padres Gold 5
Box Score and Game Log

Team Uno was gifted the go-ahead run without a base hit in the top of the 9th as the game log will show you.

As so often is the case, the top four spots in the order combined to reach base ten times. Check the box for some familiar names if you've been with us re: the DSL all season.

But the bottom of the order helped also, and we shoutout 17-year-old Dominican Yohandy Cruz, who has struggled in very limited action, seeing time defensively anywhere but shortstop, where he was listed upon signing (actually, it's international law that all position player signees are listed as shortstops, center fielders, or perhaps catcher). Cruz singled twice and drove in a run while playing first base for this one.

 

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Final: DSL Brewers #2 Squad 7, DSL Tampa Bay 5
Box Score and Game Log

Team Dos hurlers combined for 16 K's, and in the "box scores aren't always fair" department, the win was handed to 17-year-old Dalvin Bodre (congrats, first pro win!) although his fellow moundsmen pitched much more solidly.

What a day for starting LHP (yes, the rare Brewers DSL southpaw!) Enderson Mercado - 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 10 (!) K.

And congrats to German native Paul Hoff for the first career save, three-inning variety. We'll see Hoff get additional starts as his pro career advances, most likely. He's yet another 17-year-old!

$1,700,000 top 2024 bonus baby Jorge Quintana singled, and also walked thrice. Quintana was also caught stealing twice, one emanating from a pickoff, and is now just 16-for-26 in that department. Quintin Berry on a plane, stat!

 

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Seven games on tap Saturday, with a T-Rat doubleheader included. I will do my best to set an early alarm for Sunday AM to recap it all for you. I may be up late catching an MiLB TV replay, however, because a certain Jacob Walter Misiorowski makes his AAA debut for the Sounds this evening, 5:05 Central time. You can bet the big-league broadcast, which begins two hours earlier, will be keeping tabs on Voice of the Sounds Jeff Hem's updates.

Enjoy your summer Saturday, all!

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores

MiLB Audio Links
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

 

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[biedergb]

What a joy to have TRats highlight videos, how many A clubs do that? We are spoiled with that and the Brewers PD twitter feeds.

So that’s what a 1-4-6-3 put out looks like. Yeah a couple of odd hits/bounces led to the only two Cubs runs last night. No bad defense just odd plays.

[Brewer77]

Another nice game for Adams (.450) and he may top Trout (.452) for highest Midwest League OBP since 2006 (1652 qualified hitters)

[Joseph Zarr]

One has to think, regardless of Ashby's shoulder recovery year, the constant regression to zero control outing-to-outing (with so few sustained bright spots) he will be a DFA candidate sooner than later. I know you've brought this up a couple times, Jim. AND, man, with each successive outing like this it becomes more likely by the day. 😔

[gregmag]

Jim, somehow after all these years your recaps just keep getting even better and more enjoyable. The good material helps, but thank you!