Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/3): Burke’s Blasts, Adams’ Slam, Mercedes Start Highlight 3-Win Friday

[Ro Mueller]

Transactions:

• SS Cooper Pratt’s contract selected by MLB Brewers and optioned to AAA Nashville
• RHP Joe Corbett reinstated to AAA Nashville from Development List
• RHP Melvin Hernandez of Low-A Wilson transferred to Development List
• INF/OF Demetrio Nadal of Low-A Wilson transferred to Development List
• INF/OF Eduardo Garcia placed on AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list
• RHP Nick Merkel placed on AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list
• OF Steward Berroa of AAA Nashville designated for assignment by MLB Brewers

Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 7, Charlotte 6
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Adams, Quero Home Runs Lift Sounds Past Knights

At the link above, you’ll find an excellent game write-up by Cory Hilborne, including videos of 1B Luke Adams’ grand slam (snapping his 0-for-15 start to the season) and C Jeferson Quero’s 2-run blast, a reference to this being RHP Coleman Crow’s first AAA Win and even the excellent home crowd size of 7,892.

The 25-year old Crow tossed 90 pitches over his 6 innings of work (2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 Ks), with his velocity peaking at 93.3mph as he mixed in a significant number of low-to-mid 70s mph curve balls.

He exited with a 7-2 lead before 29-year old RHP Joe Corbett (1 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 K) got his first taste of affiliated baseball after spending the 2023-2025 seasons in Mexican League or the independent American Association.

Sounds’ Extras:

• 2B Ethan Murray contributed 2 hits, OF Luis Lara had 3 walks and a stolen base, while RHP Will Childers earned his first save of 2026 while topping out at 96.1mph.
• We’re grateful to the Knights for attempting a double steal of second and home to interrupt their string of 4 consecutive hits off of Corbett, running into a critical second out at home in their 3-run 7th inning.
• Charlotte out-hit the Sounds 12 to 6 and went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position, but the long balls (Nashville 2, Knights 0) were the key difference in this contest.

Saturday’s outlook: 25-year old LHP Tate Kuehner (5.2 IP, 1 R, 5 Ks in his last outing) looks to lead Nashville to a series-clinching victory.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 7, Rocket City 6 (in 10 innings)
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Burke's Historic Effort Powers Shuckers to Extra-Innings Win on Opening Day

1B Blake Burke clearly enjoys hitting in the Southern League, going with a two-true-outcome approach on Opening Day: 2 homers, 3 Ks. He now has 13 blasts in 38 career games for AA Biloxi.

Former 2nd round draft pick DH Mike Boeve is determined to re-establish his prospect status after a late 2024 injury (.886 OPS that year) and difficult 2025 recovery season (.676 OPS). A 3-for-4 first game of 2026, including a 2-run blast and a stolen base certainly indicate that the 23-year old is on course.

Starting 23-year old RHP Brett Wichrowski had a solid outing, striking out 6 and inducing 6 ground outs (vs. 0 fly balls) over 4 innings and 64 pitches (2 R, 1 H, 2 BB). He exited with a 5-2 lead, handing over to too-exciting middle relievers RHP Ryan Birchard (3 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 6 BB, 4 Ks) and LHP Jesus Broca (1 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 Ks).

Despite the walks, Birchard still turned some heads, with Curt Hogg posting on sky.social about his “big league stuff right now” and “up to 24 inches of vert on his cut-ride heater”.

An error and a wild pitch enabled the good guys to push the winning run across in the top of the 10th inning, as Biloxi scored without needing a hit in that pivotal final frame.

We obviously need to reproduce LHP Mark Manfredi and make his duplicates available in Biloxi and Nashville. The 26-year old dominated, striking out 5 of 6 batters faced to deservedly earn the Win – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB in 27 pitches (19 strikes).

C Matthew Wood contributed a single, 2 walks and solid defense.

Shuckers’ Extras:

• Biloxi out-hit Rocket City 11-3, but went 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 baserunners.
• 2B Dylan O’Rae had a 2-for-5 evening in the leadoff spot, which was a welcome comeback after missing the 2025 season due to injury (although he did play in the Arizona Fall League last October).
• 18-year old super prospect SS Jesus Made went 1-for-5, was caught stealing and ground into a double play, but Minor League Forum contributors could not stop talking about his near-grand slam on a golf shot which landed foul in the 4th inning.

Saturday’s outlook: 21-year old RHP Bishop Letson (#9 BrewerFanatic prospect; 2.40 ERA with 49 Ks in 41 1/3 High-A/AA IP last year) aims to lead Biloxi to a series-clinching victory.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Rainout: Beloit at Wisconsin

Chris Mehring added some more context on what’s in store for tomorrow.

Saturday’s outlook: RHPs Bryce Meccage (4.35 ERA in 70 1/3 Low-A IP in 2025) and Ethan Dorchies (3.40 ERA in 82 Low-A/High-A IP last year) are the scheduled starters for Wisconsin’s Opening Day doubleheader. There will not be a game on Easter Sunday, so the originally-scheduled 3-game series boils down to this twin-bill.

Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Wilson 2, Fayetteville 0
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Warbirds Score Late to Capture Inaugural Victory

If you had 19-year old starting RHP Miqueas Mercedes (5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 Ks) throwing 81 pitches on Opening Day on your bingo card, congrats to you. And a big congratulations to the Wilson franchise and Manager Eddy Morgan on their first Win in affiliated baseball.

RHP Tyler Renz and LHP Jose Meneses continued Mercedes’ exceptional work, striking out 8 Fayetteville hitters in 4 innings on bullpen work, while working around a single and 3 walks. Forum followers noted Meneses as throwing about 92mph, but baffling hitters with “good life” on his offerings.

As readers would have noted from the linked game report and box score, neither team could buy a run despite 78-degree weather and a 14mph wind blowing out to left field. The squads combined to go 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position, striking out a combined 30 times in the game while stranding 16 baserunners.

No hits were needed for Wilson to push 2 runs across in the top of the 9 inning, as 3B Filippo Di Turi walked and scored on an OF Luiyin Alastre ground out, while C Yannic Walther walked and DH Jadyn Fielder came home on an errant pick off throw.

Warbirds’ Extras:

• OF Handelfry Encarnacion delivered Wilson’s first-ever hit, a double within 1-one, 1-out in the first inning, while OF Jose Anderson also doubled with 1-out in the bottom of the 6th inning.
• Four Woodpeckers’ errors vs. zero for the Warbirds were the big difference as the teams managed to register only 6 hits total.
• It was also noted in the Forum that the Carolina League has apparently scrapped hitter timeouts this year, which might explain two batter timer violations by Wilson batters.

Saturday’s outlook: 20-year old RHP Jarrette Bonet, signed in July 2025 as a non-drafted player out of San Jacinto College, is scheduled to make his organizational debut, seeking to lead Wilson to its first-ever series victory.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Saturday, the Timber Rattlers kick off 5 games of Minor League action at 1:10pm CST followed by Wilson at 6:05pm and Nashville and Biloxi – both at 6:35pm. The Milwaukee Brewers’ doubleheader also starts at 1:10pm CST.

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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[jay87shot]

My goodness Blake Burke what a start.