Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/6): A Key Road Win for the Ernesto Martinez-led Shuckers

[Jim Goulart]

Because this particular Link Report edition needs to be much less wordy than the norm (thanks for understanding), I will doubly remind you to take full advantage of the details within the four official game summaries, and please do check out our Friday night forum thread for additional insights, 

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions:

• OF Connor Scott placed on AA Biloxi's 7-day injured list, effective September 4
• RHP Jaron DeBerry assigned to Carolina Mudcats.
• RHP Harrison Durow assigned to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from Carolina Mudcats.
• RHP Ever Urena roster status changed by DSL Brewers 2.

DeBerry was Milwaukee's 3rd round pick out of Dallas Baptist, well-underslot $10,000 signing as a college senior.

Urena signed on July 12th and appeared in six DSL games, did not allow a hit, never mind a run, in 5.1 innings (one BB, one HBP, 3 K's - 0.19 WHIP.) Now we know he had "help". Urena turns 20 years old in January.

 

 

 

 

---

 

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes 

Final: Gwinnett (Braves) 7, Nashville 1

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 Fall to Stripers in Rain-Delayed Clash - Craig Yoho tosses scoreless inning; Isaac Collins extends hitting streak in 7-1 defeat

Two additional videos via the Sounds' "X" feed.

Tyler Black is broken. .204/.316/.245 without a HR in his last 30 games, no established defensive home, not a consideration for postseason play, limited trade value this offseason.

Switch-hitting Isaac Collins is the more intriguing player at this point.

 

---

 

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 4, Rocket City (Angels) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Martinez Three-Run Homer Rockets Shuckers to 4-2 Win over Trash Pandas - Yeager strikes out two to earn 19th save of the season, Shuckers win 16th game by 2 or less in the second half

Sure hope you caught this from earlier this week -

In a prior post this week I pretty much dismissed the notion that the Brewers would add the 25-year-old Martinez to their 40-man in October to prevent him from walking. The parties agreed to an 8th season last fall. Martinez is 4th in the Southern League in OPS, top 10 in both OBP and SLG. I should not have dismissed. Find room, Brewers.

Thee's more video at the Shuckers' "X" feed.

Reliever Chase Costello (inherited runner strand) is finding AA to his liking.

 

---

 

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 3, Cedar Rapids (Twins) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Rudy and the Rattlers Beat Cedar Rapids - Wisconsin starter strikes out seven over six scoreless innings

 

 

A win with Areinamo, Pratt, Lara and Ramon Rodriguez idle, well done. Clean defense always helps.

23-year-old Will Rudy will almost certainly be the starting pitcher for one of the two "guaranteed" upcoming playoff games (best-of-three series), and he's peaking at a great time.

 

---

 

Final: Delmarva (Orioles) 3, Carolina 0
Box Score and Game Log

Delmarva Pitches Past Mudcats

More pre-playoff rest time - Bitonti, Guilarte, Yophery Rodriguez all sat, and in this case, the overall output reflected that.

Ordinarily eight base hits makes for OK production, but these were all singles, 0-for-6 with RISP, and three walks were among the nine stranded.

Welcome back, Manuel Rodriguez, eased back with a two-inning outing. Melvin Hernandez followed with four one-run innings. Rodriguez just turned 19, Hernandez recently turned 18. 

Two hits for Braylon Payne, now 3-for-8, but was picked off/caught stealing in the 4th. Listed at 6'2", 186, and that's 80-grade middle linebacker neck thickness. This young man is a specimen, turned 18 on August 14th.

 

---

 

All four contests are under the lights Saturday. Hope the teams' evening, as well as yours, is wonderful.

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

View full article

[Joseph Zarr]

Hear ye, Hear ye. Ernesto Martinez Jr. truthers gather round. His time is nigh.  He is the most complete first baseman in the system. We have reached a new floor with this young man and it is glorious. He has single-handedly stepped up in this playoff chase and I am absolutely here for it. Big time players make big time plays in big time moments. We are seeing that in real time.

[Stealofhome]

12 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Hear ye, Hear ye. Ernesto Martinez Jr. truthers gather round. His time is nigh.  He is the most complete first baseman in the system. We have reached a new floor with this young man and it is glorious. He has single-handedly stepped up in this playoff chase and I am absolutely here for it. Big time players make big time plays in big time moments. We are seeing that in real time.

Why has he been moving so slowly through the system? Is he just a late bloomer? Seems like 5.5 years in Rk and A and he could have been pushed a little more.

[Harold Hutchison]

In the case of Martinez, there was a bit of injury problems, and he lost 2020 to COVID.

I've been intrigued by him from the start, to be honest, just from his DSL numbers. Really was high on him after 2021, where he seemed to break out some. Injuries hampered him in 2022, but since then... 

[sveumrules]

10 minutes ago, Stealofhome said:

Why has he been moving so slowly through the system? Is he just a late bloomer? Seems like 5.5 years in Rk and A and he could have been pushed a little more.

He’s mostly been a level per year in his progression.

2017 was the island with a taste of AZ at the end. 2018 was AZ, 2019 was Pioneer League, 2020 was 2020, 2021 low A, 2022 hurt most of the year but reached A+, 2023 mostly A+ with a promotion to AA.

Main thing holding him back from being promoted more aggressively was probably his 28% K rate from 2017-22. Last two years he has trimmed that considerably down to 18.6%.

[Playing Catch]

His swing looks more normal than it used to, too.

[Joseph Zarr]

11 minutes ago, Playing Catch said:

His swing looks more normal than it used to, too.

This is it. Always had power but never had swing discipline. The last two years it is a different player we have seen. It's an entirely new floor. Everything has come into focus along with it. Everything. He has just entirely up-leveled. For one of the most intriguing and unique humans in the system, seeing the baseball evolve to the level of his awesome personality and interests is the icing on the cake. I've always felt he was a superstar outside the ballpark. Perhaps, we have a blossoming one in it.

[Playing Catch]

It's not unusual to see sluggers enter the league at an older age, either.

For example, Christian Walker didn't get meaningful MLB ABs until 28; Justin Turner didn't crest 600 PAs until 31.