Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/9): A Remarkable Night from Varying Perspectives

[Jim Goulart]

Was it a bizarre night on the Brewers farm? Maybe "peculiar yet eventful" would be a better description. Nashville gets shutout, but their first four pitchers on the night - Logan Henderson, JB Bukauskas, Craig Yoho, and Rob Zastryzny all have timely backstories of importance to the organization. Biloxi rolled to a ten-run victory after only knocking one base hit in each of their prior two games. Carolina wasn't shutout, but they were no-hit, and is that three times a Brewers affiliate has been no-hit in 2024 (Sounds, Shuckers as well)? The Timber Rattlers, led by Cooper Pratt, snapped a rare losing streak in what would be considered the evening's most "normal" game. 

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Let's see how it all unfolded, including two tough DSL losses.

 

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Transactions:

You'll notice in my Dominican Summer League write-ups below, I do a quick comparison of the overall nature and balance within the two Brewers' team entries. Those comments were written prior to the Brewers announcing a significant shuffle within the rosters, all done to enhance the club with the path to the postseason. You can read about those moves, which includes player page links, here.

Also,

• RHP Luis Guevara released by DSL Brewers-1

18 years old, and 2024 numbers that can be called solid in ten relief outings, as the linked player page above indicates. 

This may be a case of "there's more to the story", but we likely will never learn more. Best wishes to the Venezuela native.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes 
Final: Indianapolis (Pirates) 6, Nashville 0
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:

Elite Giants Shut Out by Indians, 6-0 - Logan Henderson, Criag Yoho make Triple-A debut in loss to Indianapolis

The Elite Giants reference is an homage to Nashville's Negro League history.

This is a report when we are reminded of how spoiled we are in terms of near-immediate video clips and analysis as the game took place. 

 

If you have not witnessed the ABS challenge system as of yet, enjoy. (I guess AmFam Field would have utilized the smaller video board last night, right?)

As for AAA debut #2:

Remember when one of DL Hall's rehab outings was cut very short by a comebacker? Is this real?

From the Sounds' game summary you just read:

Rob Zastryzny (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB) turned in a scoreless sixth inning on rehab assignment. The left-hander is currently on Milwaukee’s 15-day injured list (since July 25) with left elbow tendinitis.

So, a 6-0 AAA loss with all kinds of potential implications, there you go.

Oh, and 21-year-old Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler's AAA debut? Folks, the Pirates are going to be trouble, lots of trouble, for multiple years to come. Not sure if even that organization will be able to mess up their starting pitcher riches.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 11, Montgomery (Rays) 1
Box Score and Game Log

Kuehner, Lineup Dominate in 11-1 Shuckers Win over Biscuits - Kuehner sets career-high with 10 strikeouts in second Double-A start, Sparks smashes grand slam in three-hit night

Yeah, pretty much everything the Brewers' organization touched from a prospect perspective in 2023, both on the domestic and international fronts, is coming up aces:

 

So, one hit on Wednesday, one hit on Thursday, and then, boom!

Lamar Sparks finished a triple shy of a cycle, and if the Brewers don't resign him to a new minor league deal, there should be no shortage of suitors for a AAA spot in 2025, even with the 165-domestic player limit hamstringing organizations.

There's more Biloxi road game highlights courtesy of the outstanding Voice of the Shuckers Javik Blake here.

In addition to 12 hits and five walks, the Shuckers were plunked four times (and yes, human magnet Darrien Miller was one of the plunkees).

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 7, Quad Cities (Royals) 4
Box Score and Game Log

Wisconsin Wills Its Way to a Win - Rattlers snap three-game losing streak with 7-4 victory at Quad Cities

For a game from a locale that provides no video at all of their own, we rely on Chris Mehring's detailed game summary, and as usual, Chris does not disappoint. Take a moment to review above, please.

We see what you did in the summary, title. Will Rudy needed 96 pitches to get through five frames, 7 H, 3 BB, 3 HBP, but with enough goodness aside to net himself and the team the win.

In addition to our Cooper Pratt reference kicking things off here today, we see Jadher Areinamo doing what he always does - contribute - double, single, sacrifice fly.

Very happy for soon to be 24-year-old RHP Jeferson Figueroa, who toiled for the better part of four seasons in Carolina, off to a fantastic start in his first two Timber Rattlers outings.

Luis Lara, cleanup hitter. OK, but this T-Rats clubs gets it done more often than not, we've been highlighting this aspect about them all season.

 

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Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 7, Carolina 1
Box Score and Game Log

Mudcats No-Hit at Fredericksburg 

We'll let them have their fun, we're good sports:

Kudos to them, but Carolina lineup strengths Josh Adamczewski (nursing a back injury), Luis Castillo, and Yhoswar Garcia had the night off.

Happy Birthday on this Saturday morning to Mudcats starter Josh Knoth, who finally turns 19 years old. His game log reveals he may have finally hit the proverbial rookie wall. How about maybe skipping a turn next time around, Brewers' pitching gurus?

The man who followed Knoth to the mound Friday also celebrates a birthday this AM. Happy 22nd to Brailin Rodriguez, who gifted Knoth by stranding a runner for him in his own scoreless outing.

 

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Final: DSL Red Sox Blue 7, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 6
Box Score and Game Log

Team Uno trailed 7-0 heading to the bottom of the 5th. Scoring two in the 5th and then four runs in the 8th, Thanks to a stellar scoreless four-inning relief outing by soon-to-be 19-year-old Dominican RHP Wenderlyn King, the Cerveceros Prime were able to close that gap to just one run. Unfortunately, the Crew went very quietly 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9th.

King has been awesome, in nine games (five starts), he's at 33.2 IP, 37 K, 4 BB (7 HBP), 2.94 ERA, 1.14 WHIP.

Six successful SB attempts in seven tries, shortstop Luis Pena now 39-of-43 on the basepaths. Pena was oddly removed from defense mid-inning in the top of the 8th, something to monitor.

All eight Brewers knocks were singles, they also drew eight walks and were plunked four times, 

The organization will be hard-pressed to backfill the position player upper echelon of this top-heavy Team Uno club once the core four-or-five players eventually graduate. A review of the bench players and those lower in the lineup today reveals slim pickings. 

Hopefully just a normal rest day for mega-prospect Jesus Made.

Now at 29-16, the boys are even with DSL Orioles Orange in the loss column, but trail by 1.5 games due to three less games played.

 

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Final: DSL Red Sox Red 5, DSL Brewers #2 Squad 4
Box Score and Game Log

Team Dos drops to 24-21 and fell similarly to their island sibling, down by a 5-2 score through six innings, and then coming up a bit short in the comeback effort. With the tying run on second base with one out in the 9th, the final two Brewer bats lined out to LF.

Power drought? Combining with the report above, all 21 DSL knocks were of the single-base variety, amazing. Thirteen singles for Brewers #2 here.

Every Cervecero had at least one base hit except for second baseman Kevin Ereu, who was HBP'd. 

INF/OF Roderick Flores is still just 17 years old despite being in his 2nd DSL campaign. He turns 18 later this month. In 119 2024 plate appearances, he's posted a strong .267/.462/.372 line (.834 OPS), though the K rate is high.

17-year-old Venezuelan catcher Yoneiker Lugo has only played in 18 games, but his three hits in this one lifted his OPS to .780.

One could make the case that the Team #2 lineup is more balanced than the star-laden more win-heavy club at the complex.

17-year-old southpaw Enderson Mercado had been outstanding in his three prior outings, but allowed five runs in five innings on eight hits, and unlike the Brewers, the Red Sox bats plated a cycle vs. Mercado on the XBH front.

 

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It's a mega-Saturday schedule with eight games on tap, including two for Carolina, and two for the newly roster-fortified DSL Brewers #1 squad in an epic battle with DSL Orioles Orange with major division-winning implications (the DSL schedule wraps up on Tuesday the 20th). We get Carlos F. Rodriguez (Nashville) and KC Hunt's AA debut for Biloxi tonight!

Enjoy your summer Saturday, all!

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