Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/23): A Wild Evening of Sounds and Timber Rattlers Ball Rounds Out 3-1 Day; All Eyes on Quero's Early Exit (Details Within)

[Joseph Zarr]

Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic

Transactions:

• OF Steward Berroa was sent on a rehab assignment to the ACL Brewers by the Nashville Sounds
• RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez was activated from the 7-Day IL by the Nashville Sounds

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Final: Nashville 14, Charlotte (White Sox) 13

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):

Sounds Win Marathon on Dunn's 11th Inning Walk-Off Single - Sounds Smash Four Homers in Another Comeback 'W'

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

A 2-0 series lead built on the shoulders of consecutive comebacks. The Sounds trailed 7-2 when RHP Carlos Rodriguez was pulled in the fourth inning - his first start since coming off the IL and his first live Triple-A action since back on May 29th. For those of you who read my reports with any semblance of regularity, you know I like to say "The box score rarely tells the tale." Tonight was no different. I felt Rodriguez's work in the first frame - where he surrendered a two-run home run over the right field wall - was rustier than anything I saw in his fourth and final inning of work. Sure, it was a five-run inning that saw his outing end abruptly. But, there just really isn't all that much a pitcher can do on weakly hit balls that find the outfield grass or reach poke improbable homers on fairly good pitches low or below the zone. I don't begrudge those whatsoever. I also don't begrudge Rodriguez and the Sounds team at large not getting the benefit of the doubt on what felt like every close call throughout the game. This was true in the fourth inning when a triple was overturned into a home run (it was a home run but the process was very odd when the closest ump to the call called it a triple to begin with - manager Rick Sweet was vehemently not pleased); a close call at second base was given to the Knights; and a close bang-bang all at the plate (the runner very much looked out) also gave a run to the Knights. It was simply put: One of those innings. 3 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 7 ER, 3 HR. Rodriguez will lament the long balls. I only disliked the one surrendered in the first frame. Baseball. What a crazy game.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) He's here. He's there. He's everywhere. LF Daz Cameron extended his RBI streak to eight consecutive games dating back to July 10th. Madness. His ground rule double in the bottom of the eleventh frame to deep left center field tied things up.

 

 

A 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB evening. The RBI streak itself is wild. But, I think it truly is important you readers understand just how good Cameron has been as a Sound: 20 G, 94 PA, 0.402 BA, 1.359 OPS (!!!), 8 2B, 11 HR, 31 RBI, 21 R, 7 BB, 14 K, 6 SB. That is, frankly, absurd production. I've never seen anything like it.

2) We don't know why C Jeferson Quero was pulled in the fifth inning. He finished the fourth frame - from Rodriguez through RHP Garrett Stallings relief work. Announcer Jeff Hem also had no word or understanding as to why he was pulled. The only thing I can think of at this juncture is the Sounds and Brewers have said they are taking it slow with Quero as he returns to action behind the dish. It was a ripe 95 degrees Farenheit at first pitch. In the muggy Nashville air could this have simply been a planned timeshare to get C Nick Kahle some action? We'll simply have to stay tuned to the pre-game interviews tomorrow and the broadcast tomorrow night. OR, gulp, we'll get updated by Adam McCalvy as I write this report:

 

We deserve good news. I'm simply going with that at this juncture. The play in question happens at the 1:50:10 mark of the replay.

 

3) 1B Bobby Dalbec mashed two taters - a two-run pull shot just inside the LF foul pole and an oppo blast over the right field wall - and almost became the first Sound since 2016 (Matt Chapman) to hit three long balls in the same game. None the less, the deeper mention here is going to 3B Oliver Dunn. Dunn ripped a solo shot of his own to the deepest alley in the right center field portion of the Nashville ball park.

 

He also hit the tying and winning hits to right field in the 10th and 11th innings, respectively. The Sounds needed every bit of his 3-for-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR work. Dunn truly deserved the game-winner celebration as the umpiring crew missed a fairly obvious interference call on the final out in the 10th when Dunn attempted to get back to first base on a wide turn after the tying run crossed. Instead of two down, a tie game, and runners on the corners it was on to the eleventh inning.

With the victory, the Sounds improved to 13-10 in the second half. They remain 5.5 GB Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees).

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Final: Wisconsin 4, Quad Cities (Royals) 3

Box Score/Game Log

Wisconsin Holds On For 4-3 Ten-Inning Win Over Bandits - Nicasia's Pinch-Hit Double Proves to be the Difference

Game Notes

Just an evening removed from blowing a ninth-inning lead and losing to Quad Cities 4-3, the T-Rats managed to pull out an extra innings 4-3 win of their own. RHP Ryan Birchard was back on the bump looking to fine-tune his work. All in all, I would give Birchard a 'B +' on his 4.0 IP of 3 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HB work. I still saw too many counts where Birchard fell behind 3-0 or 3-1. We still saw too much charity. He had to work around consecutive opening innings with a man on third base and one out. He worked out of those jams. He struck out more than a batter per inning. Birchard remains an elusive mixed bag. The tools are blatantly obvious. The development path remains unpaved for stretches. Much work to be done but we salute the 76 pitch, 43 strike effort. He did not factor into the final decision.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) LHP Anthony Flores pitched a very clean 2.0 IP of 1 H, 3 K work. More importantly, he inherited Birchard's bases loaded no out mess when he came aboard in the fifth inning. How he escaped without surrendering the tying run still defies reason. The T-Rats led 2-1 when he came aboard. The T-Rats left his work leading 2-1. Quad City catcher, Canyon Brown, miraculously did not tag on a fly out to fairly deep left field with Luiyin Alastre and his very average arm parked awkwardly underneath it. Flores struck out his next batter. It was perhaps the most pivotal, unnoticed in the box score, moment of the game. I could only wonder what the River Bandits dugout was thinking when they watched Brown casually jog back to the bag with no tag attempt. 

2) In a 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR day at the dish DH Hedbert Perez absolutely crushed his 13th home run of 2025. 

One can only wonder what might have been with Perez's season - solid if unspectacular in its own right - had he not injured his left shoulder sliding into second base back at Peoria on May 27th. Perez only missed just over a week's time and he never officially went to the IL but I think it was fairly obvious that shoulder injury impacted him when he returned - he lost his mojo of that nine game hitting streak to end his May. Regardless, after an 0-for-19 stretch in early July Perez has hit safely in seven of his past eight games. 

2) The RHP Yerlin Rodriguez tightrope experience absolutely continues. It is nearly a universal Law at this juncture. Yerlin worked with bases loaded scenarios in both the ninth and tenth innings. Both were of his making - including a classic wild pitch to the backstop to open his second inning of work in the tenth frame. Nothing like immediately giving Manfred's Man a free base right from the jump. 2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 1 R (unearned). It is a credit Rodriguez worked in and around both jams as he improved to 5-3 on his season. If ever a winning record needed an asterisk...

3) RF Luis Castillo returned and certainly didn't hit the ground running. The two walks are certainly nice given his historical penchant for the swing and miss - 0-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB certainly isn't a bad outing by any stretch. However, Castillo is a bit lumbering on the outfield grass. He nearly made a sliding catch into the right field corner but he was just late to get there and he couldn't quite gather the fly into his glove. He was also late to get to a high liner into the right center field gap. Both looked like makable plays with better jumps and an outfielder with a bit more mobility. It's still far too early to make any reads on Castillo's High-A debut season given his prolonged absence but it's hard not to get lefty Eduarqui Fernandez vibes early (minus Eduarqui's plus arm).

With the victory the Timber Rattlers improved to 8-18 in their second half. They remain in last place 7.5 GB first place Beloit.

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Final: Carolina 9, Kannapolis 3

Box Score/Game Log
 

Mudcats Down Kannapolis - Mudcats Open Series with Second Consecutive Win

Game Notes

RHP Melvin Hernandez keeps trucking through a highly impressive season for the Low-A Mudcats. He returned from the All-Star Break by going 4.0 IP of 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 R scoreless work. I'm a broken record at this point so I won't belabor things here. Suffice it to say I will once again remind you: if you have not seen this young dynamo sling the white rat I highly suggest you do so. He showcases winning pitching from an entirely different vantage point than what most people think of with modern baseball. In that regard, he is very much every part the Milwaukee Brewer.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) RHP Jose Nova now has consecutive Saves in consecutive relief outings. More importantly today, he did not allow a single hit; a single walk; a single wild pitch; a single hit batter in his two innings of 3 K scoreless work. I've pointed this out to you on more than one occasion since he's returned from injury: Nova absolutely has some electricity in his offereings. It's legitimately all about control and precision. Can he locate his gyro slider? Can he locate his high riding mid 90's heat? Nova has quite a long road to travel - he's slightly old for his current level and he is a historically inefficient (you might say wild) pitcher. But, we celebrate all forms of victories in our reports. Two consecutive hitless, walkless, scoreless relief outings earning two Saves is fantastic stuff. Let's make this the new norm!

2) Just one day after I opined 2B Josh Adamczewski impacts all the bats around him in the talented Mudcats line-up, he went ahead and gave us a 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB day at the dish. His approach and his talent is contagious. Peña: 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 3B. Made: 1-for-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B. Bitonti: 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB. And on and on. When you have a hitter as skilled as Adamczewski - a player as confident and sure of himself and his ability to make meaningful contact - it lifts all boats. His return is a godsend. How much longer will we see him in the Carolina League if he is truly back to full health? I would imagine not much longer past the trade deadline if this torrid pace keeps up. 

3) Just one game after discussing 3B Filippo Di Turi's month-long slump of July, he rewards us all with a bases clearing two out grand salami. In just one game, he turned the tides toward palatability. Can he keep it going to finish his month? Let's hope so. 3-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 K, 1 HR. As I've mentioned on more than one occasion: Di Turi's defense has impressed this season and he brings a steady professional approach. This was truly a sight for sore eyes:

 

What an absolutely gorgeous set up on that swing. I've watched this clip several times. I suggest you do the same. Believe in the player. He's earned our trust. Let's root him on into August.

With the victory, the Mudcats improved to 17-7. More importantly, they gained another game on second place Fredericksburg (Nationals). They now lead the North division by 3.0 G.

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Final: ACL Reds 18, ACL Brewers 6
Box Score/Game Log

Two consecutive wallopings for the ACL Crew as they headed down their home stretch and ended their ACL season with quite a bit of a screech and a thud. The team certainly hit the proverbial wall over their last two tilts. Rehabbing Sounds OF (DH in this one) Steward Berroa went 0-for-3. I don't know where Berroa goes to rehab from here - does he stay in the desert or does he head to another affiliate? We shall see in the days ahead.

The good:

• CF Handelfry Encarnacion: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 K
• LF Jadyn Fielder: 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
• 2B Demetrio Nadal: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B, 2 CS (not so good, eh?)
• RHP Cesar Espinal stopping the bleeding with a scoreless 1 1 /3 IP of 1 H, 1 K work
• 1B/RHP Roderick Flores going 1-for-3 with 1 RBI and 2 K and then pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one hit.

That's about it. The ACL Brewers were outhit 19-to-10. The defense committed two errors and the Brewers pitching battery gave up 17 runs in the fourth-through-seventh innings. 11 walks to eight punch outs is not the ratio we are after. With the loss, the Brewers fell back to 0.500 at 30-30 overall. And, well, that's where they finished their season. We will always look back fondly at that first month when, like the Mudcats, the ACL Brewers felt untouchable. Boy, they were pounding out hits and runs early. Things changed in a hurry, however, and the final 0.500 record is a fitting symbol of their season as a whole. Up and down. 

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With the ACL Brewers season in the books, we turn our heads fully to the Dominican Academy. Both DSL squads will be back playing Thursday morning. The Shuckers will begin early with their double-header - RHP Brett Wichrowski will be on the bump followed by RHP KC Hunt (presumably?) in the make-up game. RHP Travis Smith will look to keep his current run of fantastic starts rolling as the Mudcats will look to open a 3-0 series lead on Kannapolis. LHP Robert Gasser will be the opener in Quad Cities as he looks to complete his second rehab outing. And, in Nashville LHP Nestor Cortes will face ol' Brewers friend RHP Bryse Wilson and the Charlotte Knights.

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

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[Jake McKibbin]

Good news: Over the last month, Oliver Dunn has a .915 OPS.

Bad News: He is also still striking out ~ 35% of the time, for those who want

 

Also @Joseph Zarrand anyone who may question the name, we are a site who love Joel Payamps and his name may no longer be besmirched, no matter how many pitches he hangs. All that matters is his K-BB%

[Wicki]

This farm system never ceases to amaze me this summer. The depth of this organization is crazy to the point where I think the brewers could trade non top 20 prospects and still get good MLB talent. The amount of middle IF prospects and pitchers we have is crazy. 
 

on a side note, what do we think Melvin’s upside is long term? Is a Zach Davies/Suter type pitcher his peak? Or do some of his pitches have a chance to become plus offerings?

[Joseph Zarr]

25 minutes ago, Wicki said:

This farm system never ceases to amaze me this summer. The depth of this organization is crazy to the point where I think the brewers could trade non top 20 prospects and still get good MLB talent. The amount of middle IF prospects and pitchers we have is crazy. 
 

on a side note, what do we think Melvin’s upside is long term? Is a Zach Davies/Suter type pitcher his peak? Or do some of his pitches have a chance to become plus offerings?

He already has plus feel for his change-up - in the Carolina League it is a deadly pitch. Even with his lower velo, batters just rarely seem to get a drop on anything he's throwing. I would say, tho, that everything hinges on that change-up. He'll throw it any count.

I don't know what Manuel Rodriguez and Melvin Hernandez peaks look like at this juncture. This is why I have my deeper thoughts on the two waiting until they reach the Southern League. As it currently stands at their respective levels, however, all they seem to do is pitch highly efficient, meaningfully productive, low-scoring outings. It truly is incredible to watch. But, then again, at this point in time almost all of the Brewers youngest pitchers are doing that. It's uncanny. 

[gregmag]

Braylon Payne’s monthly splits are nuts. Excellent all-around April, but the k rate was a little high. Power completely disappeared in May — literally; zero extra-base hits. Power came back in June, but his bb/k was 1/20. In July it’s 13/10 with the most power he’s shown yet. I don’t know whether he was hurt, but he has clearly been working on things, and it’s starting to pay off.

[James Zumstein]

Is Yerlin Rodriguez the first 4 True Outcome pitcher: BB, K, HBP, or WP?