Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/5): The Dream of a Magic Mudcat Ending Vanishes

[Jim Goulart]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions: 

• RHP Carlos Rodriguez recalled to Milwaukee from Nashville
• OF Jimmy Herron reinstated from the Nashville Development List 

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Final: Norfolk (Orioles) 3, Nashville 1
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:

Sounds Winning Streak Halts at Six with Loss to Tides - Patrick totals seven strikeouts, Martinez Jr. hitting streak up to six games

Considering Brewers necessary call-up RHP Carlos Rodriguez was initially Nashville's scheduled starter, Sounds pitching held up pretty well.

Jeferson Quero's sacrifice fly in the 1st drove in the Sounds' lone run.

Quero would be robbed later on, and Brandon Lockridge's attempt at a double was also foiled:

 

With only three hits (the Lockridge knock wiped out as you saw above) and four walks drawn, Nashville did not have a single at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Rick Sweet's roster options on the position player side are many - 16 to choose from (including rehabber Rhys Hoskins, who was idle here). Bench players for this one - Ernesto Martinez, Jr., Ethan Murray, Steward Berroa, Oliver Dunn, Eric Haase, Jimmy Herron, Hoskins. There's a 13-man pitching staff. 

RHP Easton McGee will be optionable again in 2026, and with another strong showing here, seems a very strong candidate to maintain his 40-man roster spot through the coming offseason.

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Pensacola (Marlins) 5, Biloxi 0

Box Score and Game Log

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

Shuckers Drop Friday Night Matchup Against Blue Wahoos - Burke records multi-hit night, Peek, Bowman combine for 3.2 scoreless relief innings

Like their AAA cousins, the Shuckers didn't have a worthwhile highlight to post on Friday night. Their opponents, however, had good reason to:

As noted in the linked game summary, the Shuckers did record five singles over the final three innings, to no avail of the zero in the run column.

Biloxi is 26-35 in the second half, and to be honest, it feels as though that's understating the malaise of a team that is getting healthier but not more productive.

There are individual performances to celebrate, as you can read about here (Pratt, DeBerry Sweep Brewers Minor League Awards for August) and here (Burke Named Southern League Player of the Month for August).

Jaron DeBerry muscled through 5.1 innings (98 pitches), touched for ten hits, also all singles. All 12 Blue Yahoo knocks in this game were of the one-base variety.

Only eight regular season AA games remain before Biloxi is going to have to flip the proverbial switch. And by the way, someone will be waiting for them in that playoff matchup.

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 9, South Bend (Cubs) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Rattlers Blow Past Cubs with Late Rally - Wisconsin scores nine runs in last four innings for victory

Well, at least this Cubs South Bend affiliate is also not playoff bound (congrats, Marlins and Beloit Sky Carp).

What a pleasant surprise to see Luis Castillo in the starting lineup and contributing. On August 23rd, I watched Castillo tumble badly in a play described here by a fan on-site that night in Beloit. Seeing him back just two weeks later must be huge for the young man's psyche.

2-1 deficit through six innings? Chris Mehring's linked recap above provides plenty of detail for the subsequent eight Wisconsin runs.

22-year-old RHP Patricio Aquino isn't particularly adept at limiting base hits (74 in 67 IP, 1.51 WHIP), but only two balls have left the yard. Aquino was stellar in relief here.

.310/.390/.451 through his first 18 games, nice:

Kay-Lan Nicasia was 0-for-15 heading into August 31st's contest. In the five games since, he's 9-for-16 with two doubles and two home runs.

Luke Adams just can't help himself, plunked by pitches twice in this game, three times since beginning his Wisconsin rehab, and now 24 times in 65 games in 2025 (after 61 HBP's in 2023 and 2024 combined).

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 5, Carolina 1
Box Score and Game Log

Fredericksburg Clinches Division with Win Over Mudcats

The odds were stacked, but it would have been so sweet to have the second half division crown come down to a winner-take-all game between these clubs on Sunday. A win then would have extended the life of the ballpark in Zebulon, perhaps culminating in a magical championship run. Alas, it wasn't to be:

Four Mudcat hits, all singles. Didn't take advantage of six free passes, 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Yes, it would have been fun to have seen the likes of Jesus Made, Luis Pena, Josh Adamczewski and Marco Dinges in the Carolina lineup, but we all know that's not how minor league seasons flow.

Braylon Payne played all of both doubleheader games Thursday (the second as the designated hitter) and didn't play Friday. 

Having RHP Miqueas Mercedes make the start in a must-win game was a choice. Mercedes, just 19 years old as of July, had been hit hard, putting it mildly in his first four Carolina League appearances (game log). Mercedes sparkled including this:

Groundouts-flyouts: Mercedes 10-0

It's a shame that fellow 19-year-old RHP Jayden Dubanewicz was the pitcher victimized in the clip above. It took until his fourth inning of work. Dubanewicz has been such a stud on either side of his season-long piggy-back starting/bulk role.

Handelfry Encarnacion's RBI came on a groundout, meaning the only runs scored on the Brewers farm Friday by way of base hit came in the Wisconsin game.

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Only two Timber Rattlers games left. Only two Mudcats games left. The Shuckers have another week-plus to right their listing ship. The Sounds still have two-plus weeks remaining as all AAA teams stay active in case MLB help is required. Technically, it's still summer. Enjoy your day, all!

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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[Joseph Zarr]

Quote

Only eight regular season AA games remain before Biloxi is going to have to flip the proverbial switch. And by the way, someone will be waiting for them in that playoff matchup.

Highly likely, yes. But, correct me if I'm wrong, not certain? Montgomery leads the division by 5.0 G with 7 G to play. I certainly wouldn't put it past the Shuckers to lose these final two games of this ongoing Wahoos series.

Organizationally speaking, the Brewers full-season affiliates are definitely doing their best second half interpretation of the 2024 White Sox and 2025 Rockies. They are a combined 31 Games below 0.500. Woof. Led, of course, by the juggernaut that is the 2025 Timber Rattlers.