Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/20): Young Carolina Arms Outshine the Fireflies

[Jim Goulart]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions: 

• Nashville Sounds activated RHP Sam McWilliams.
• Nashville Sounds placed RHP Coleman Crow on the 7-day injured list retroactive to June 19, 2025.
• Nashville Sounds transferred OF Jimmy Herron to the Development List.
• Nashville Sounds activated RHP Easton McGee (had been on the big-league taxi squad).
• Biloxi Shuckers placed 3B Luke Adams on the 7-day injured list.
• Biloxi Shuckers activated C Victor Torres from the Development List.
• Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated RHP Yerlin Rodriguez from the Suspended List.
• RHP Aldrin Gonzalez assigned to ACL Brewers from DSL Brewers Gold.

Thanks to Curt we have Crow and Adams updates:

Also, while not officially announced by the Brewers, and I imagine won't be for some time, this is noteworthy in its uniqueness:

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 8, Iowa (Cubs) 5
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:

Nashville Evens Series in Front of Sold-Out Crowd - Mitchell Produces Three Hit Night

Rehabs galore, as the implications for Brewers and Cubs fans were evident. LH starter Shota Imanaga was dominant, fanning eight Sounds over 4.1 innings of scoreless two-hit ball. RHP Porter Hodge, a key member of the Chicago bullpen, was rocked for seven runs (six earned) while retiring only one batter. 

After striking out swinging in his first at-bat against Imanaga, CF Garrett Mitchell singled in his next three at-bats, the first two were line drives (one off Imanaga) at 99.1 and 97.4 MPH and the final a ground ball that found the grass.

This is among several highlights you'll find at the Sounds "X" feed.

 

Ernesto Martinez, Jr. was on the bench for this one as Manager Rick Sweet juggles his options at first base and designated hitter (Jeferson Quero DH'd here). What appeared to be a very solid chance of Martinez making his big-league debut in 2025 now seems more questionable than it did in pre-season, though EMJ's line of .246/.376/.406 (.782 OPS) is hardly poor.

 

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Knoxville (Cubs) 10, Biloxi 6, ten innings
Box Score and Game Log

Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives

Shuckers Win Streak Snapped in Extra-Innings Loss - Murray, Pratt, Vargas recorded multi-hit nights in 10-6 loss

Clinging to a one-run lead in the top of the 9th, RHP Justin Yeager, in his second inning of work, walked the leadoff batter and then two fly balls found the grass for singles, including the game-tying RBI knock. Fellow righty Will Childers did well to keep the score knotted. In the bottom of the 9th, four Shuckers drew walks, but none scored (a caught stealing explains that unfortunate happenstance). That all meant RHP Tyler Bryant, who pitched on Wednesday and has been lights-out for weeks, had to come in for the 10th and it wasn't pretty.

All in all, it was the type of loss that would be absolutely horrible in a playoff race push, or in a postseason game. For a team that just clinched the first-half division crown, it was hardly a fun night, and that leadoff walk ended up burning more arms and bullets than anyone would have liked, but it's more of a bummer than something to lose sleep over.

After missing action for four weeks from mid-May to mid-June, infielder Ethan Murray has played in just 31 games with 118 plate appearances. Reaching base four times in this one (two doubles, two walks while playing third base), Murray has been fantastic when healthy, now sporting an .888 OPS.

Cooper Pratt singled twice, walked, and added a sacrifice fly to his ledger. Jheremy Vargas, playing second base, singled twice and walked but was the victim on that costly caught stealing in the 9th. Vargas is 5-for-8 in SB attempts in 2025 and has a 69% career success rate, so sub-par in that regard.

You'll find a few more clips at the Shuckers' "X" site, although the feed was likewise pre-occupied with a certain Brewers big-league starter as well, as you'll see.

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: West Michigan (Tigers) 5, Wisconsin 2
Box Score and Game Log

Rattlers Drop Second Half Opener 5-2 to Whitecaps - Dinges homers in third straight game for Wisconsin

We learn from Manager Victor Estevez that RHP Manuel Rodriguez returns to the mound next week - nice!

 

This is such a tough West Michigan team, it's a good thing only three of this series' games count towards the second half standings. Hopefully the boys can salvage at least one game this weekend.

I had already convinced myself weeks ago the Brewers have found themselves their next Jonathan Lucroy:

Dinges is one of four new additions to the Brewer Fanatic Top 20 that @Spencer Michaelis profiles here.

RH reliever Yerlin Rodriguez returned from his suspension for recent on-field antics and managed a scoreless inning but still made sure there was plenty of Yerlin within his short burst - a walk, a wild pitch, a HBP, three K's, 23 pitches (11 strikes). Rodriguez writes his own script, it's something else.

LH starter Sam Garcia's 2.08 ERA at Carolina was deceptive, he put 20 free men on base in 34.2 innings but had a .197 batting average against. Here in High-A through three starts, that BAA is at .304.

 

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final, Carolina 3, Columbia (Royals) 0
Box Score and Game Log

Mudcats Shutout Columbia to Open Second Half

Glorious work by RH starter Melvin Hernandez and LHP Jesus Flores, via Nicaragua and Venezuela, respectively. Hernandez will make one more start before he turns 19, while Flores won't turn 21 until March. There is a wonderful feeling of calm and beauty when one reviews a fine pitching line that screams control and command, and you'll see two in this box score. Also notice that beyond that line for Hernandez, eight of his nine non-strikeout outs came on ground balls. Sweet.

Jesus Made 0-for-4 atop the lineup, but thanks to @wiguy94, among our regular followers and game action aficionados, we know he was still hitting the ball hard.

After the first game of a doubleheader on May 28th, Eric Bitonti was sitting on three home runs through 41 games played, and we were among those lamenting his lack of patented Bitonti bombs. In the 16 games since, Bitonti has blasted seven balls over the fence, the majority no-doubters like this:

 

We lament no more.

Braylon Payne on the bench - nothing against Tyler Rodriguez or Reece Walling, but Payne needs his repetitions if healthy.

 

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Final: ACL Rockies 3, ACL Brewers 1, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

 

The one A-Crew run scored without a hit in the 3rd inning, as Pedro Ibarguen opened the frame reaching on an error.

It was Ibarguen who scuttled the no-hit bid in the 5th, but it appears to have been inches from being caught:

Pedro Ibarguen singles on a fly ball to center fielder Jeremy Ciriaco, deflected by shortstop Wilder Dalis.

It was 108 degrees at game time, but I'm sure the gusty 9 MPH breeze was soothing.

 

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Final: DSL Tampa Bay 8, DSL Brewers Blue 1
Box Score and Game Log

CF Brailyn Antunez doubled and walked, and Spencer is not one to miss it when our beloved farmhands (or their friends and families) post earlier highlights on social media:

 

17-year-old (and barely 17 years old, birthday was earlier this month) Venezuelan catcher Johanderson Tarazona not only has an 80-grade name, but he has played in six games thus far, and has reached base 14 times, including three doubles.

 

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Final: DSL Brewers Gold 4, DSL Pirates Gold 0, seven innings as scheduled 
Box Score and Game Log

What did I say in the Carolina summary about pitching lines and calm and beauty. 

Behold Joan Pena, our 17-year-old Dominican southpaw boy wonder. He kept it scoreless around a double and two singles in is five frames, but no free passes of any kind and nine K's (six swinging). By the way, the "Strikeout" feature within Gameday is nice if you haven't visited it previously.

The Golden Boys we root for here did enough offensively, but in the 52-team league (yes, 52), the Brewers Gold sit at 52nd in batting average, 51st in OBP, and 37th in SLG.

The Pirates squad they beat today are at 51st, 52nd, and 52nd respectively. Sounds about right, Pittsburgh fans...

Curious about Brewers Blue? 32nd, 31st, 42nd in AVG / OBP / SLG.

Basically, these aren't your 2024 DSL Brewers, folks. We may not see the likes of that again for many years.

 

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The two DSL squads face off against each other Saturday AM, The Mudcats have the earliest of the full-season start times at 4:00 Central. The Maryvale gang is idle. Stay cool by the pool, everyone!

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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[biedergb]

Great write up Mass.

Saturday mornings are sleep in days so it was on time in my world. 😉

Nice highlighting Melvin Hernandez,, Marco Dinges (who is getting a lot of buzz), Pedro Ibarguen. And will have to look out for Johanderson Tarazona and Joan Peña. Love these tidbits highlighting some off the radar or “pre-radar” guys.

[Wicki]

What does Hernandez stuff look like? Is he got plus stuff? Or more just a very mature arm that spots his pitches well? Because the numbers he’s putting up in June are amazing! Another exciting arm at Carolina to keep an eye on.