Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/23): Shuckers Shine in Every Way; Mudcats Manage an Important Split

[Jim Goulart]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions: 

• DSL Brewers Blue released RHP Lenin Mendez (pro career noted in our Transaction Forum Thread here).

Another move is not official as of yet, but we noted that the Brewers have signed a non-drafted outfielder to his first professional contract.

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Final: Louisville (Reds) 13, Nashville 4
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Hoskins and Cameron Go Back-To-Back, Sounds Out-Hit in Loss to Bats 

As usual, there are multiple nuggets within the linked summary worth your consideration. LH starter Bruce Zimmermann has done yeoman's work in a season in which the lack of availability from so many others due to call-ups, injury, etc. have thrown multiple monkey wrenches into Manager Rick Sweet's rotation plans. Not Zimmermann's night here.

It's going to take the rest of the AAA season to pretty up LHP Brian Fitzpatrick's Nashville ERA after a disastrous August 9th debut, but his game log reveals that he's back on the cusp of 40-man roster consideration prior to Rule 5 this fall.

Speaking of "not his night" - Joel Payamps. Making just under $3 million for 2025, surely, he'd rather be in Milwaukee, but tough to sympathize compared to those truly on the edges of the MLB minimum vs. the $50-$60K AAA standard.

Jackson Chourio working out the kinks at 0-for-7, one BB, 3 K in two rehab games.

On the subject of rehabbers, good for Rhys going deep for the second time in three games. Maybe it's me, he looks thicker than ever.

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 11, Chattanooga (Reds) 1

Box Score and Game Log

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

DeBerry Strikes Out 9, Shuckers Offense Keeps on Truckin' on Grateful Dead Night - Shuckers set season-high with 8-run sixth inning, Lara makes history in win

All for good reason, the Biloxi 'X' timeline may be their most packed of the season. Do fully indulge, please.

One tough note first -

Bottom of the 7th - Eric Brown Jr. grounds out, second baseman Edwin Arroyo to first baseman Ruben Ibarra.

Via our in-game thread:

"Uh-oh. Brown hit a grounder and while running to first he started limping. Hopefully just a cramp"

Did go back to the archive (03:13:40 hour/minute mark for MiLB.TV subscribers). Brown hopped his way to 1st base after making it cleanly three-quarters of the way there and immediately made his way to the dugout. Always are impressed with our minor league diehards - the heads-up came from @duewizard as he was watching a 10-0 contest. Our readers are the best.

There should be a more equitable way for college seniors to be compensated in the draft despite the "no leverage" status. RHP Jaron DeBerry signed for $25,000 as the Brewers 3rd round pick in 2024 out of Dallas Baptist. DeBerry did make huge strides coming off his junior season as the linked Baseball Reference page will show. Good for the Brewers, especially since DeBerry is a man on DeMission now. Yes, I look forward to a decade of DeBerry puns.

Every so often there's a highlight you just hit play on like 30 times trying to figure out exactly what happened:

Voice of the Shuckers Javik Blake is very good at noting statistical benchmarks - sometimes there is a bit of cherry-picking in the parameters, but you can't fault Javik for putting a respectful shine on player accomplishments. That being said, the Luis Lara benchmark here is impressive. Given the age, the defense, and Southern League atmosphere, we have to look way beyond the .718 OPS. Perspective, everyone, and kudos to Luis:

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Beloit (Marlins) 2, Wisconsin 0
Box Score and Game Log

Sky Carp Keep Rattlers in Check - Wisconsin falls 2-0 with just two hits

Thank goodness the Marlins' low-A team is in the Florida State League and doesn't play the Mudcats, because between AAA Jacksonville, AA Pensacola, and Beloit, it's clear the Miami organization is heading in the right direction, and Brewers affiliates get their fill during the regular season.

As noted in Chris Mehring's game summary and also on our forum thread - via a fan on-site in Beloit, LF Luis Castillo was also injured on his way to first base, lying prone beyond the bag and helped off the field. Again, for subscribers, go to the 02:43:40 hour/minute mark of the archive. The announcer speculation was initially a hamstring injury but that was just that, speculative. I don't believe we ever learned the nature of Castillo's extended earlier absence (April 14th until July 15th rehab in Arizona), so this upcoming additional time sidelined must be devastating for the 21-year-old, who will be 22 in October.

Fischer-Made-Pena-Dinges looks pretty in the pre-game lineup sheet, two singles and a walk among them, but six K's as well.

RHP Bishop Letson got up to 41 pitches, and LHP Sam Garcia did well to save the pen for the balance.

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final, Game One: Salem (Red Sox) 2, Carolina 0
Box Score and Game Log

Final, Game Two: Carolina 11, Salem 6
Box Score and Game Log

NOTE: Each game seven innings as scheduled.

Mudcats Split Doubleheader at Salem

The entire position player was utilized in the twinbill, each receiving a start, and no player exited for injury, so that at least breaks this report's cycle.

One of three Brady Ebel's knocks on the night:

Here's Jose Anderson's RBI single scoring Josiah Ragsdale, and thankfully Ebel was not injured at home though he was called out also trying to score:

There are two additional highlights atop the Mudcats' 'X' timeline this AM, and if you haven't determined yet, all the highlights are from the nightcap ?.

As you review the pitching lines as Carolina navigated 13 innings on the evening, you'll find RHP's Joshua Quezada and Jayden Dubanewicz to be the most impressive. Really hope we get to see Dubanewicz on a postseason mound - as our Joseph Zarr pointed out in the forum thread:

"Muddies gained 1/2 G on the Fred Nats tonight with their 1-1 split. They are now 0.5 G outside the division lead."

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Two afternoon and two evening affairs on Sunday as we finally get back to a standard scheduled four-pack of action. Enjoy your late-summer day, 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]

Color me impressed with DeBerry in AA - I mean more than just the uniform last night.

The issue with him in high A was the hiccup inning where he just can't get that out (hits and a few walks stacked together). It's only a few starts, but he is striking out a good # (about 9-10/9IP) across all three levels. His hits/walks were higher in high A and lower now. If he can keep that up, and get 5-7 innings per outing, he can add to Hardin, Crow as solid back of the rotation options as soon as 2026 or definitely in 2027.

 

Secondly, that Mudcat offense is struggling, but boy are they so young - I mean game 1 had almost all teenagers (Holguin just turned 20 about 3 weeks ago), which is insane, in fact half of them (Payne, Ebel, Encarnacion, Anderson, Garcia) are young enough to have just graduated HS (Ebel just did), and that was 5 of the 9 batters. I hope it is a good learning situation for them as they each have 1-2 seasons to figure it out (hopefully they won't need that time). I mean that is young for an ACL/FCL club and they are playing big innings in a playoff race in August as 18-19 year olds. And the pitchers are just barely older. 

Also - Dubanewicz has a night start after Dorchies shrugged off a bad inning to put in 6 solid innings the night before. It is pitchers like them (and Letson the year before) that will be the key factor in evaluating the drafts as the early rounders have been OK so far, but not as good as one would have hoped given that draft capital, but if you get a few "3rd - 5th" round talents late each draft and develop them, it works, If not, will have to rethink  that approach. Yes too early to judge, but if these young late round pitchers can develop, stay healthy, and succeed that will be such a huge development.