Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/13): A 2-0 Night, But Hey, Let's Talk 2022 International Draft

[Jim Goulart]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions: 

• INF/OF Gery Holguin released by Low-A Carolina

At one point, "The Athletic" had a dedicated Brewers beat reporter, I know, hard to believe. It was Will Sammon, now on to the flailing Mets' beat on the platform, which admittedly, is a fascinatingly entertaining team to follow on a number of levels. Back in January 2022, Sammon wrote about the Milwaukee international class. If you're a subscriber, it's a very cool read to look back on, as among the players Sammon highlighted:

"The Brewers did a great job of scouting Gery Holguin, a 16-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic. The signing was a combined effort from scouts Julio De La Cruz, Esteban Castillo, Gary Peralta and Luis Perez. When scouts first noticed Holguin, he was 5-foot-9 with a fluid and easy swing. The Brewers stayed on him. He is now 6-foot-2 with a great arm, good speed and a hitting approach that is not common among players his age. Scouts view him as an above-average shortstop who projects to also fill out and possibly have above-average power. Holguin signed for $450,000, per MLB.com."

Holguin's MiLB Player Page indicates how over three years of complex league ball did not morph into success with Carolina in 54 games this season.

Sammon also notes:

"While a lot of attention was focused on two players — shortstops Johan Barrios (Venezuela) and Jhonny Severino (Dominican Republic) — there’s a third who should be considered as a notable signing: Venezuelan center fielder Luis Lara."

That sure was prescient. Barrios was released last April. Severino (July 2023 trade for 1B Carlos Santana) took a big step back in Pittsburgh's system with a poor low-A season in 2025. We do love us some Luis Lara.

The article displays the combustible nature of international classes - it also featured Reminton Batista, a switch-hitting outfielder dealt to the Marlins for catcher Payton Henry in November of 2022. Miami released Batista last March. 

Who remembers these other names? 

"One other position player prospect worth noting is Venezuelan left fielder Fabricio Valera. At 6-foot-2 and 174 pounds, he’s a wiry left-handed batter. He signed for $400,000, per MLB.com. The oldest player of the Brewers’ signing group was 21-year-old pitcher Roman Perez, a 6-foot-4 right-hander from the Dominican Republic. Perez sits around 95 mph but will have to work on command."

So, it's worth noting that Valera was released by the Brewers in October of 2024, Perez released in February of 2024.

Interestingly, Sammon wraps up his feature discussing RHP Stiven Cruz, who just returned to Biloxi from Wisconsin and factored in prominently in Saturday night's game discussed below, and LHP Anthony Flores, who has flourished and is heading to the Arizona Fall League next month.

---

Final: Nashville 3, Gwinnett (Braves) 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 Take Series Over Gwinnett with Saturday Night Win - Trio of Sounds Have Multi-Hit Games

Anthony Seigler had one extra-base hit in 73 Brewers plate appearances, and that one, a double, could have been ruled an error. Seigler doubled twice and scored a run in four trips to the plate here.

LHP Robert Gasser was optioned on August 30th. His mandatory 15-day AAA stay ends as of Monday, eligible to join the Crew as soon as Tuesday. His long relief line in this box score will certainly give the front office plenty to consider.

I've seen some references to Luis Urias as not-postseason eligible, as his official transaction signing is listed as September 1st, but since this MLB Trade Rumors post was clearly on the afternoon of August 31st, he is available should the Brewers deem it necessary.

Tyler Black has had a middling September (.242/.359/.364), matching much of his season-long "OK-ness" (.741 OPS with Nashville). That .930 OPS throughout his 2023 Biloxi/Nashville season seems so far away, as he's barely a postseason consideration. 

---

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 5, Birmingham (White Sox) 1

Box Score and Game Log

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

Burke Home Run, Strong Bullpen Performance Leads Shuckers to Win - Cruz retires eight straight in return to Double-A in penultimate game of the regular season

#29, MLB Pipeline? Sure about that?

Look for more video at the Shuckers' 'X' feed this AM.

Will Cooper Pratt be back on Sunday to give us an indication of his readiness for Tuesday's playoff game?

All the pitching lines are worth your box score appreciation, including the aforementioned Stiven Cruz, who also received a worthy notation in the linked game summary. Tyson Hardin up to 65 pitches as his "reactivation" after a five-week pause continues, this was game five since.

---

It's a 1:00 PM Central start for the Biloxi regular season finale. In Nashville, the Gwinnett folks must be thrilled with a non-getaway start time of 6:05 - must be an NFL thing, Titans are in town playing at 1:00 PM. Happy Sunday to you 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

View full article

[Joseph Zarr]

Quote

Interestingly, Sammon wraps up his feature discussing RHP Stiven Cruz, who just returned to Biloxi from Wisconsin and factored in prominently in Saturday night's game discussed below, and LHP Anthony Flores, who has flourished and is heading to the Arizona Fall League next month.

Man, Sammon was such an incredible feather in the Brewers beat writer cap when we had him. He offered so many juicy details like those morsels you share above. When he left, and the absolute disregarding manner in which the Athletic at large handled the entire departure and 'transition' (if you can call it that) for Brewers fans and readers, it was an immediate cancellation of my Athletic subscription. Don't regret doing that for a single moment. Just an embarrassingly indifferent media house for baseball small markets. 

Holguin still played plus defense at the hot corner despite scouts thinking he was a shortstop. Unfortunately, he couldn't really hit a lick at that Low-A level in his brief stint there this summer. When a player flashes leather like he did, however, with other players struggling to hit in that Low-A and High-A level like we witnessed this season, I do wonder what the deeper story is. We'll likely never know. I wish him all the best in the interim as he contemplates his next moves in baseball and in life. 

[sveumrules]

With his 3.1 scoreless IP (1 H | 0 BB | 4 K) last night Bob Gas is up to 29.1 IP of 54 ERA- | 60 FIP- with Nashville now.

For reference here is how some of the other big league Brewers hurlers performed during their AAA time this year...

Yoho (45.1 IP)
22 ERA- | 56 FIP-

Misio (63.1 IP)
47 ERA- | 73 FIP-

McGee (45.2 IP)
82 ERA- | 78 FIP-

Tobias (59.2 IP)
83 ERA- | 81 FIP-

Logan (77.2 IP)
79 ERA- | 83 FIP-

Woody (25.1 IP)
78 ERA- | 83 FIP-

[biedergb]

1 hour ago, Jim Goulart said:

Interestingly, Sammon wraps up his feature discussing RHP Stiven Cruz, who just returned to Biloxi from Wisconsin and factored in prominently in Saturday night's game discussed below, and LHP Anthony Flores, who has flourished and is heading to the Arizona Fall League next month.

I will have to go back and read that. Wow blast from the (not that distant) past. Great find Jim.

It’s always interesting to see who stands out from the IFA classes. As while the ‘24 group was special, most years are more like the ‘22 group - who I compared this years group to. So figure 3-4 players will have some impact and that could also be in another organization.  And pitching is almost impossible to predict for these guys until they at least get to low A. 

And Blake Burke. He has been hitting all season, and nice to see the power, especially away from Keesler Park (its full name is Keesler Federal Park I had to look it up to double check).  [side note: Apparently Biloxi while not being good for hitting, has one of the higher HR rates in AA. I guess the winds from the coast but I thought that was more right to left?]

Either way he has found the power and the average. He will need to continue to do that moving forward to get up as the future 1B/DH of the brewers someday. But promising first full season for him.

[biedergb]

3 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

When he left, and the absolute disregarding manner in which the Athletic at large handled the entire departure and 'transition'

Yeah I almost cancelled my subscription for that. But a couple of other teams I follow (notably Penguins in NHL) have good coverage as does international soccer.  But yeah the Brewers have been an after thought, and he covers the Mets I mean the Mets 🙄😂

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, Jim Goulart said:

#29, MLB Pipeline? Sure about that?

There are very few things happening, in the many MiLB broadcasts I watch in a season, I dislike more than when an announcer leads a player's appearance telling me where he's ranked in the MLB Pipeline pantheon of player evaluations. I understand the why - brand consistency; eye candy and allure for fans. I just really don't appreciate it at all. I'm definitely the old farmer on the rocking chair on the front porch swinging his clenched fist at the clouds on this one 😅. Let the players speak for themselves, I say. Let their play on the field speak for itself. 

[Joseph Zarr]

Interestingly, RHP Stiven Cruz was re-rostered at Wisconsin and RHP Manuel Rodriguez was called up to the make the final Biloxi regular season start today. Cool for both young men to get this late season opporunity - for Stiven to re-experience the Southern League and for Manuel to debut. 

(Noted in our ongoing Transactions thread HERE)