Your 2025 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

[Jim Goulart]

Timber Rattlers' Opening Night is Friday 4/4 - at home vs. Cedar Rapids (Twins).

The eventual Wisconsin formal roster announcement will come directly from the Timber Rattlers, not the Brewers, once the Brewers have given the Timber Rattlers the official go-ahead to do so.

Feel free to link to any formal Timber Rattlers notices you see.

Sometimes, but not as often as we used to, we learn via player social media, who has been assigned where, prior to the formal affiliate announcements. We'll link to any of those posts in this thread as they come out.

As you might know, we use the "Your 2025" team threads to post and link to feature stories, including audio and video, that are outside the scope of game activity covered in the Daily Minor League Link Report.

These threads have become among the most popular for viewing here.

Please do not speculate on any player releases. Brewers Player Development or MiLB.com will update us formally.

[Jim Goulart]

26-year-old RHP Zach Peek (27 in May), who was plucked from the Orioles' system in the minor league phase of Rule 5 in December, had his status moved from Nashville to Wisconsin. Peek peaked (see what I did there) briefly at the AA level in 2024, so despite his age, this placement makes some sense. Peek only has 13 appearances over the last two seasons, spending time on the 60-day injured list in each.

[wibadgers23]

 

[Ro Mueller]

20-year old LHP Anthony Flores may be the biggest surprise inclusion after just 26.1 IP at Low-A Carolina. Congrats to him and the other promoted players (e.g. Bishop Letson (20), Manuel Rodriguez (19), Juan Baez (19), Tyson Hardin (23), Daniel Corniel (20), etc.).

The other youngster is 19-year old Yophery Rodriguez, but he was promoted for last year's playoffs.

[biedergb]

Wow Edgardo Ordonez who logged 30 games at the ACL in '24 and 26 games in '23, skips past low A to join the TRats - either they think highly of him, OR he became a warm body 3rd catcher.

Love to see that young pitching staff - M. Rodriguez, Letson, Corniel, D. Sanchez who join '24 draftees T. Hardin and C. Welch.

Odd that Jeremy Vargas is not included.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 minutes ago, biedergb said:

Wow Edgardo Ordonez who logged 30 games at the ACL in '24 and 26 games in '23, skips past low A to join the TRats - either they think highly of him, OR he became a warm body 3rd catcher.

Love to see that young pitching staff - M. Rodriguez, Letson, Corniel, D. Sanchez who join '24 draftees T. Hardin and C. Welch.

Odd that Jeremy Vargas is not included.

That's 'Jheremy' to you, Sir! 

Hopefully, that means he gets a chance with the Shuckers...

[biedergb]

2 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

That's 'Jheremy' to you, Sir! 

mea culpa. I think that was auto-correct

I think you can have my back on that one, Joseph, as I know I typed his name at least a dozen times last season.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

In the interview linked above, Flanagan notes that the organization wants Areinamo to work on pitch zone recognition prior to facing AA arms, as to say to not rely on his uncanny contact ability in and out of the strike zone.

[Ro Mueller]

It looks like Wisconsin is ahead of the curve in naming starting pitchers for the opening weekend:

- Friday: RHP Manuel Rodriguez
- Saturday: RHP Bishop Letson
- Sunday: RHP Chandler Welch

[Jim Goulart]

NBC 26 Preview Video

Another, this one via "We Are Green Bay"

[Jim Goulart]

Also includes a quote or two from RHP Manuel Rodriguez

 

[liveforoctober]

Yophery is an interesting one to watch. He is the highest rated Brewers OF prospect and outside of maybe Lara there is no one who would be blocking him from ascending at whatever pace he decides to move through the system at. I think he is projected to end up in the corner OF as well, whereas Lara is naturally a CF if I'm not mistaken.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

On 4/1/2025 at 9:59 AM, Ro Mueller said:

It looks like Wisconsin is ahead of the curve in naming starting pitchers for the opening weekend:

- Friday: RHP Manuel Rodriguez
- Saturday: RHP Bishop Letson
- Sunday: RHP Chandler Welch

Man, that is a sexy and diverse trio right there. T-Rats fans should be quite excited. I am very curious to see how Manuel's off-season went. How will his zonal accuracy and ability to manipulate his mix batter-to-batter work with a new catching battery?

[TURBO]

On 4/4/2025 at 11:32 AM, Joseph Zarr said:

I am very curious to see how Manuel's off-season went. How will his zonal accuracy and ability to manipulate his mix batter-to-batter work with a new catching battery?

Where does his velocity usually sit?

89 was the fastest I saw on the scoreboard last night, is that normal?

His breaking stuff was filthy!   Was a blast to watch him live. 

[biedergb]

Will defer to others who can recall. I thought he was up to 90-91 mph max last year. If he can get to 92, with that poise, command, spin and off speed stuff he can play in upper levels for sure.

 

EDIT: I reviewed BA prospect report on M. Rodriguez, and to paraphrase (info for subscribers) is that he pitches 88-90 and max was 92, which is what I recalled, but has high spin, and has slider, cutter and change up, with the slider being a very good pitch. And you will get the same info from the post game report for 4/4:   https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/timberrattlersreview/episodes/Manuel-Rodriguez-Announces-His-Presence-With-Authority-e314mki

So IF he can get his velo up a few ticks (think 92-93 with a max of 95) then you have a solid mid to back of rotation pitcher. But that's a lot of IF in that sentence. He is 19 years old by the way, in high A.

 

EDIT#2: OK, as I'm reading these reports again, it makes me feel so old that when I see a lot of the Brewers pitchers with fastball velo of 91-95 as average or below average, boy I remember the late 90s and early 00s when our pitchers (not named Sheets) were all 89-91, and those who hit 95+ were high end. Now its 95 average, and 98+ as high end.

Edited April 5, 2025 by biedergb
added more info

[wiguy94]

3 hours ago, TURBO said:

Where does his velocity usually sit?

89 was the fastest I saw on the scoreboard last night, is that normal?

His breaking stuff was filthy!   Was a blast to watch him live. 

Yeah he typically is in the 88-90 range so last night wasn't like a bad velo night or anything. Really good spin and control though.

[Joseph Zarr]

I just hope and pray there is room for a second coming of the Greg Maddux prototype in the modern game. I don't say this casually or lightly, whatsoever. And I am in no way making a direct correlation. BUT, watching Rodriguez all of last year as he typically fell on my Tuesday night reporting duties, that was (and remains) my dream. His poise, zone control and accuracy, repeatability of motion (which was fluid and not over-torqued) and then the ability to manipulate batters just screamed this was a young pitcher who already knew how to pitch more adroitly than the vast majority of arms in the system. Miles to go here. Time will tell.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday 4/17:

Via WSCO's "The Show with Balky": Voice of the Timber Rattlers Chris Mehring (go to the 19:45 minute mark)