Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/30): Mudcats Injury Exits Tarnish the Night's Lone Win

[Jim Goulart]

Nashville's scheduled road doubleheader was interrupted at a dangerous 4th inning cliffhanger spot. Biloxi was shucking until late, when the wheels came off. The wheels never did get rolling in Appleton before another large crowd, and while the end result was nice for the Carolina road tilt, unwanted early exits marred the results. We'll find the bright spots throughout the system where we can. 

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Let's check out how things played out.

 

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Transactions:
 

• Milwaukee Brewers recalled LHP DL Hall from Nashville Sounds (he was subsequently returned to AAA after his fine outing Friday)
• Milwaukee Brewers sent LHP Hoby Milner on a rehab assignment to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
• Nashville Sounds activated 2B Noah Campbell from the Development List.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes 

Suspended, Game One: Nashville 0, Charlotte (White Sox) 0, bottom of the 4th in Charlotte
Box Score and Game Log (thus far)

Canceled, Game Two

Sounds and Knights Suspended in Charlotte - First game of scheduled doubleheader suspended in fourth inning, will be resumed tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. CDT

RHP Evan McKendry allowed just one hit and two walks (one K) through three scoreless. But whoever takes over for him in the bottom of the 4th will be in immediate trouble. A leadoff double off McKendry followed by two additional walks has the bases loaded with none out.

Shortstop Vinny Capra has two singles, Patrick Dorrian one, Own Miller walked, but all four baserunners were stranded.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Montgomery (Rays) 9, Biloxi 3
Box Score and Game Log

Hunt Stars with Career-Best Start, Shuckers Fall to Biscuits - Brewers’ No. 29 prospect sets career-high with 6.1 innings, Martinez smashes 11th homer of the year

This was KC Hunt's 4th start with Biloxi. Until the Shuckers plated three runs in the bottom of the 6th Friday night, Biloxi had scored only two runs in 21.1 innings with Hunt on the mound.

Hunt, as noted in the game summary title and content, came out for the 7th, got a groundout and then was removed after a line drive single. RH reliever Will Childers stranded that runner but then he and RHP Justin Yeager took it on the chin with disastrous 8th and 9th inning efforts as the 3-0 lead more than disintegrated.

 

25-year-old Ernesto Martinez was a triple shy of a cycle as the designated hitter. He already agreed to a 2024 contract for an 8th year in the system, delaying his minor league free agency. It'd be a rarity if he agrees to do so again this fall. A 40-man roster add remains a possibility but doesn't seem imminent.

Brock Wilken was pulled for a pinch-hitter Thursday night after striking out in each of his four at-bats. He did not play on Friday.

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Quad Cities (Royals) 8, Wisconsin 0
Box Score and Game Log

Quad Cities wins third straight over Wisconsin 

Why do I feel the need to link to a classic Chris Berman ESPN "Rumblin, Bumblin, Fumblin'" video?

While we yearn for the returns of Luke Adams and Cooper Pratt and a myriad of injured pitchers, the vibes heading down the stretch are a bit disjointed. And yet the T-Rats are still (!) just ahead of these River Bandits in the second-half standings after cruising to a first-half title.

Surely 2023 5th round RHP Ryan Birchard was hoping for much more than a 1st inning exit after 36 pitches, 17 for strikes. Birchard was a community college pick and only turned 21 years old in July. He had gone three innings in his prior outing and Manager Victor Estevez was most likely counting on a four-to-five inning effort here.

As noted in the game summary, Quad Cities is on pace to be the Rattlers' playoff opponent, though let's see how things shake out next week.

 

 

 

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Final: Carolina 9, Lynchburg (Guardians) 5
Box Score and Game Log

Mudcats Ride Big Inning to Win Over Lynchburg

Tough to put a damper on a game in which Carolina led 9-2 through six innings, but we need to spotlight the 3rd inning exit of 2023 4th round RHP Jason Woodward, who was making his 3rd Mudcats start after four rehab outings in Maryvale, coming off 2023 Tommy John surgery (pre-draft).

Woodward was dealing - the first five outs he got were via strikeout, and he danced around two 2nd inning errors by third baseman Jose Acosta. Read these few posts via our Minor League "as it happened" thread. Opposite of good.

Ugh, more tough news - dynamic infielder Juan Baez (only turned 19 in June) exited after grounding out in the 5th. I visited the MiLB.TV archive (link for subscribers, 02:19:40 hour/minute mark) and couldn't detect much, though Baez was not running hard on the grounder to second base.

It's been a rough go for 18-year-old shortstop Filippo Di Turi after his .956 OPS reign in Maryvale (23 games), but he had two sacrifice fly RBI here, and since that can be overlooked within an 0-for-2 box score line, we'll note it here.

Check out that bottom of the order production, it seems you can move all the pieces, seemingly non-stop all season long, but the Muddies keep on keepin' on. Carolina, like Wisconsin, is hanging on to a second-half division lead this AM despite having nothing specific to play for.

Scoreless 9th inning for Miguel Briceno, sliding over from first base. Briceno has only allowed one run in his four relief stints and check out his fielding page to view his versatility. Manager Nick Stanley has to appreciate his multi-purpose pocketknife.

 

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Cannot believe Saturday marks the end of August. Nashville will hope to complete their suspended game and play another, their day kicks off before all others, at 4:05 Central. Make the most of your day, everyone! Don't you hate that Labor Day is so early within September this year?

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
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[Joseph Zarr]

MLB Pipeline casually listing Hunt as 'the Brewers No. 29 prospect' is vintage Pipeline. You have a guy who has absolutely carved up three levels in a single season - transitioning to the Southern League and setting more personal bests - and you barely have him cracking a top 30? He's a five-pitch starter with 129 K over 92.0 IP and a 0.90 WHIP. I continue to be baffled by clubs pushing these Pipeline rankings as if they mean anything.

Anywho, his 0-2 record with Biloxi is a painful testament to the offensively challenged quality of Shuckers baseball we have endured in 2024. 29 K: 2 BB. 22 2/3 IP, 4 GS, 2.38 ERA, 0.221 BAA, 0.93 WHIP. I don't know about you, but that screams 0-2🫠.