Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/1): 2B Josh Adamczewski Returns in Rehab Debut (ACL); Kay-Lan Nicasia's Two-Run Jack the Difference for T-Rats

[Joseph Zarr]

Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic

Transactions:

• INF/C Anthony Seigler of the Nashville Sounds had his contract officially selected by the Milwaukee Brewers 
• RHP Easton McGee was recalled by the MIlwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds
• C Nick Kahle was activated from the Development List by the Nashville Sounds
• OF Jimmy Herron was activated from the Development by the Nashville Sounds
• INF Oliver Dunn was placed on the Temporary Inactive List retroactive to 6/30)
• C Marco Dinges was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
• RHP Tyler Woessner was released by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
• 2B Josh Adamczewski was assigned to the ACL Brewers to begin a rehab assignment
• C Victor Torres was assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from the Biloxi Shuckers

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Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 11,  Nashville 2

Via the Sounds website, please be sure to click and read each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine (believe me, it's worth it):

Nashville Drops Opener to Redbirds - Tyler Black Goes 2-for-4

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

Three of the Sounds last four losses amidst their ongoing four-game losing streak have been by a combined score of 34-5. Shall I throw out a proverbial 'tough sledding!'? I guess I shall. Yikes. The Sounds came back home to a nice 11-2 shellacking at the hands of the Memphis Redbirds. And, suddenly, it would appear RHP Logan Henderson has a bit of a home run problem. After allowing two long balls tonight, Henderson has now allowed five long balls over his last three starts. Is this a troubling trend? In the near term, yes, absolutely. However, he had only given up six long balls in his first thirteen starts with the Sounds. It will certainly be something to monitor in the weeks ahead. Henderson went 4.0 IP allowing 3 H, 1 BB, 2 HR, 1 HB and 5 ER while punching out three. 72 pitches thrown for Henderson with 50 landing for strikes. The long balls counted for three of those five runs.

RHP Elvin Rodriguez helped add two more to Henderson's tally when he allowed both inherited runners to score in the top of the fifth frame and then saw three more of his own cross in a disastrous outing - 1.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, and 3 ER. Tack on two pitch clock violations in that lone inning of work for Rodriguez. Just like that, it was 8-0 Redbirds. Obviously, the Sounds never recovered.

Outhit 12-to-5 but given life via three free passes and three Redbirds errors, the Sounds managed a mere 2-for-10 with RISP. We salute LF Tyler Black's 2-for-4, 1 SB performance - his first multi-hit game since returning to the Sounds. We also tip our cap to RHP Blake Holub and his 1 1/3 IP of 0 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 R work. Holub was the lone Sounds pitcher to not allow a run. What's that again? Right. Tough sledding. The Sounds are now 2-5 in their second half as they look to rediscover their late first half spark.

 

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Final: Wisconsin 3, Beloit (Marlins) 2

Rattlers Swoop in for a Win at Beloit - Nicasia's Homer Sparks Wisconsin to Victory

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

RHP Manuel Rodriguez continues ramping up. Tonight, in just his second start since his return from the IL, Rodriguez gave his squad his predictably efficient 2.0 IP of 1 H, 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 ER, 3 K work. 36 pitches thrown with 23 pitches landing for strikes. It's what Rodriguez does. It doesn't matter how many innings he is giving his squad, we are near certain to see efficient and accurate work. It continues to be uncanny given his 19 years of age.

The real headliner in this tight game one was the fantastic work from one RHP Stiven Cruz: 4 1/3 IP of 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 0 R work. He was generous with a pitch clock violation but, more importantly, he is beginning to get his groove back. It's easy to forget how good Cruz was at Double-A Biloxi in the month of April. He lost his footing. BUT, unlike RHP Tyler Woessner, he has found new ground. Let's hope this continues trending in this direction. He picked up the win and is now 1-1 with the Timber Rattlers.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) As indicated in my headline above and in the post-game Rattlers byline, it was Nicasia's blast that sparked the Rattlers to victory:

Nicasia truly does have power to all fields from both sides of the plate. Hence, despite his slow start at High-A and despite his penchant for the swing and miss he was batting fifth tonight protecting 1B Blake Burke (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 K). I understood the batting order placement despite his relatively inauspicious start in the Midwest League. It's awesome to see him have his marquis moment as a Timber Rattler. 

2) LHP Jesus Broca continues to have one of the more surprising seasons of 2025. He ran into a wee bit of trouble in the ninth and final inning, as he often does (21 K-to-19 BB in 35 2/3 IP in the Midwest League), but he escaped via a weak pop out to SS Eduardo Garcia after a sac fly to left field pulled Beloit within one run. Given his overall impact in 2025, Broca has become a crucial multiple inning eater who can essentially come aboard in any scenario. 2 2/3 IP of 3 H, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 ER work. The change-up and slider were particularly effective in getting the swing and miss. The heater was running a bit arm side so it's a real credit he and Diaz could work around that en route to Broca's third Save of his season. He is 3-for-3 in SVO's as a Timber Rattler. One of the more unsung seasons in the entire system, and one of the more surprising given his propensity to work with runners aboard.

3) As the second half gets further under way, I can't help but wonder what is ultimately in store for 3B Daniel Guilarte. Gifted with a cannon of an arm and a plus glove across the infield, his ongoing offensive woes will likely cost him if he can't turn things around. After an 0-for-4, 1 K evening Guilarte is batting a woeful 0.133 with an equally unimpressive 0.426 OPS. He is receiving any and all opportunities to turn this around with 204 PA's. But, with a 32.3% K rate, a mere six XBH's just isn't cutting it. I'm not saying a re-assignment is imminent in any way. But it isn't all that difficult to read the tea leaves here.

 

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Final: Fayetteville (Astros) 7, Carolina 6

Fayetteville Takes Series Opener from Mudcats - Mudcats Lose Lead and Game Late 

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

Tonight, I was reminded yet again just how young these Carolina Mudcats are. The Muddies were once again done in by their penchant for sloppy young mistakes in a 7-6 loss. They led 6-4 heading to the top of the eighth frame. They trailed 7-6 when they went to bat in the same inning. LHP Wande Torres' see-saw Low-A season continued. Just off his best outing of his season, Torres lasted a mere three innings: 3.0 IP of 5 H, 1 BB, 1 HB, 3 K, 2 R (0 Earned). He threw 63 pitches over that span landing 38 for strikes. Torres is a tough read in 2025. He certainly has dynamic moments of real brilliance. But, he is consistently erratic. This will likely be a massive off-season for his growth and development.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) I've spoken of SS Jesus Made's improved dynamic play on the infield dirt and defense in general over the past couple of months. However, it's also apropos to point out he continues to be a very young player in regards to decision-making and focus. A throwing error tonight cost the team early. A poor decision on a routine grounder led to the winning run crossing instead of an inning ending in the eighth frame. This was a rough game from Made. Yes he took a free pass, swiped a bag, and scored a run. He has massive talent! He also showed some poor body language when striking out looking in a three pitch early strikeout and he lacked the fine-tuned polish one might expect from such a highly ranked prospect throughout the game. It's fair to say Made is in a wee bit of a funk as the Futures Game approaches. I'm hoping he can get hot and start locking in.

2) 1B Eric Bitonti may strikeout a lot (he certainly does in 2025 - 33.5% K rate). 1B Eric Bitonti may expect more from himself given the immense amount of dedication he has to his craft - I certainly tend to think I expect more from Eric Bitonti given how pure he swings the baseball bat. He has a truly beautiful swing and, yet, in 2025 his timing and his hand eye coordination in the swinging and timing process consistently feel just a tad off. It is one of those things that feels like it is right there but just off - if that makes sense. In his 2-for-5, 1 R, 3 RBI, 3 K night what I was thinking about was how he rarely makes mistakes. On a very, very young team, Bitonti rarely makes a mental error. He is always locked in. Yes, the mistakes happen - they happen to everyone. But, I notice his day-in and day-out availability and consistency more than I notice most any other thing in his game outside his power stroke. I continue to have quite a bit of faith in the player and the person.

3) If RHP Jose Nova is going to stick in full-season ball, he is going to have to fine tune his rough edges. Control. Control Control. This is the third throwing error I've seen from him over the past two outings of his I've watched, and they are all overzealous pick-off throws that sail well beyond the intended glove and base. Despite his clear tools - the mid 90's heater and hard slider - he flirts with too many men on base on too consistent a basis to instill confidence. 2.0 IP of 3 H, 2 BB, 1 HB, 2 R (1 earned), 1 K work. Nova very much remains a work in progress. Given his overall results and history as a 23-year-old arm, he has quite a bit of work in front of him. 

Lastly, kudos to CF Braylon Payne and his 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB night. It was very nice to see him hit the best ball of the Mudcats evening on his double to the left center field warning track:

I know we're all hoping Payne re-discovers that pre-injury April form. With the loss, the Mudcats fell to 7-3. They are still atop their Carolina League division in the early going of the second half.

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Final: ACL Brewers 7, ACL Rangers 6
Box Score/Game Log

The ACL Crew did their darndest to DSL their lead and win away in a meltdown five-run eighth inning. Feel free to look it over in the Game Log or visit my nightly game thread post HERE for further harrowing baseball details.

But, alas, the ACL Brewers also have one CF Handelfry Encarnacion (2-for-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 K, 1 2B) who ripped a two-out two-run game-winning double in the bottom of the eighth inning. It's hard to find another player in the Brewers system I have become more bullish on in 2025.

Speaking of bullish, that brings me to 2B Josh Adamczewski's first rehab outing. 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB. He left in what appears to be first rehab outing pre-planned fashion and gave way to one 2B Jadyn Fielder (0-for-2, 1 K). We'll be glued to the nightly ACL games in the near future to ensure our prodigal son will be returning to Carolina where he belongs.

It would have been a real shame had the ACL Crew not managed to re-take the late lead and pull this win out. They outhit the Rangers 9-to-2. They had more men in scoring position throughout. Inevitably, as a result, they left more men on base. They would have also squandered RHP Miqueas Mercedes' 6.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K Quality Start. Thankfully, RHP Argenis Aparicio, despite blowing the original Save, buckled down and secured the victory (picking up his first tallied victory in the process) in his 2.0, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP outing. With the win, the ACL Brewers moved to 23-21 overall. They remain in third place in the ACL Central division.

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Final: DSL Red Sox Red 3, DSL Brewers Blue 2 - Final/9 innings (scheduled 7 inning game)
Box Score/Game Log

Death. Taxes. and the DSL Brewers squads losing on my Tuesdays. Uncanny. Intriguing pitching throughout for the Blue. 

Are the walks a trend for Toledo to date? Mildly so - he has a 17-to-10 K:BB ratio after today's outing in 17 2/3 IP on his season. Moreno continues to put together a season to notice as a whole in his second summer at the Brewers Dominican Academy.

The real story in this game was the late tying runs in the Brewers halves of the sixth and seventh innings and then their inability to push anything more across with Manfred Men on 2B to start the eighth and ninth frame. The Crew only mustered three hits on the day so their isn't all that much to glean from the offensive game logs or box but it is noteworthy they took six free passes to just seven strikeouts. That discipline will pay off in the days and weeks ahead. With the loss, the DSL Brewers Blue fell back below 0.500 to 10-11 overall.

 

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Final: DSL Astros Orange 7, DSL Brewers Gold 5
Box Score/Game Log

The DSL Brewers Gold made a real game of this throughout but couldn't quite cross the finish line. They trailed 1-0. They tied 1-1. They trailed 3-1. They trailed 3-2. They tied 4-4 in the eighth inning. They lost 7-5 after the ninth. So it goes. A true back-and-forth affair befitting two teams below 0.500.

On the pitching side of the ledger, we certainly take note of the unorthodox manner of working 19-year-old Mexican RHP Ruben Saldana continues to put forth for the Gold. In today's 2 1/3 IP of scoreless work, he once again put many runners on base - 4 H and 2 BB - but he stranded them all striking out four in the process. It's a tightrope act for Saldana at present with his 0.333 BAA and 1.84 WHIP but he has managed an 0.87 ERA over those 10 1/3 IP to date.

Most notable in the offensive side of the Gold's ledger is the combined output of the Gold's four and five hitters in C Jonathan Rangel and 2B Juan Martinez and their combined 4-for-7, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, 2 SB work. Rangel continues to shine in his timeshare opportunities this summer.

We tip our hat to SS Cristopher Acosta for his first long ball of his summer in an impressive 1-for-2, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB, 1 HR day at the dish. It's been a very slow start for Acosta but maybe a game like this can get him trending in the right direction more consistently.

The DSL Brewers Gold were outhit 14-to-6 in this one so the close game in and of itself seems quite opportunistic given the greater context of the game itself. With the loss, the Gold fell to 9-12 on their season. They'll look to get back in the win column Thursday morning.

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All evening tilts tomorrow. The Shuckers will kick things back off as they begin their double-header smack dab in the middle of two men on second and third, two outs, and a full count. RHP Alexander Cornielle is scheduled for game two. I do not know who will pick up RHP K.C. Hunt's work at this time. Phenomenal RHP Melvin Hernandez will pick things up for the Mudcats as they seek to even their early home series. LHP Bruce Zimmerman will once again try to even the early series as he did last week in Jacksonville. And, LHP Sam Garcia will look to stack success after his best High-A outing to date just last week. 

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball.

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