Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/15): Lara Ascends, Rattlers Mash Their Way to Sweep

[Ben Lepak]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

Transactions: 

DSL Brewers Gold released RHP Enrique Velasquez (briefly discussed here)

 

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Nashville pre-game media notes
Nashville 5, Worcester (Red Sox) 3
Box Score

NOTE: For a consecutive evening, Nashville did not post their game summary online. However, the team did distribute the very detailed recap and tidbits, which you can find pasted in full as a reply to this article below.

For the second night in a row, the Sounds’ first few hitters carried the offense. Jett Williams led off the game with a triple that rattled around the left field bullpen. Cooper Pratt followed with his first extra-base hit of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Williams was on base twice, Pratt three times, and both players stole their fifth base on the season, as both players are starting to show signs of waking up offensively.

In the second inning, Luis Lara put a grounder through the left side to bring in two more runs and make it 3-1 Sounds:

It’s become apparent that it is Luis Lara’s world and the rest of us are just living in it. After another three-hit night, Lara is now top three in the International League in hits (24), runs (16), steals (10), average (.414 - shoutout MKE area code) and OPS (1.103). Lara just missed another home run, which would have established a new career-high for the 21-year-old centerfielder, with this 102.7 MPH rope in the 4^th, courtesy of the Nashville X account:

The rest of the Sounds’ four through nine hitters combined to go just 2/16 on the night.

Logan Henderson (3IP 2H 1R 1ER 3BB 4K) started on the mound for the Sounds. After retiring the first two hitters of the game, Henderson allowed two walks and a single to put the team in an early 1-0 hole. It seems the team is still bringing Henderson along slowly, as he tossed just 59 pitches (36 strikes) in his outing.

Henderson gave way to Joe Corbett, who earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings. Will Childers earned the four-out save, despite putting the tying runs on in the ninth. The 25-year-old Childers has now worked seven scoreless innings to start the season.

It will be interesting to see if the Sounds’ hitters can keep the offense rolling throughout this series, as the team takes on two of Boston’s top pitching prospects. Jake Bennett (Boston #7 via MLB Pipeline) will take the mound in an attempt to slow the Sounds offense on Thursday. Bennett has allowed just one earned run, five hits, two walks, and 15 strikeouts in his first 13.1IP at AAA to start the season. The challenge will only increase over the weekend, when Payton Tolle (#15 overall prospect via Pipeline) heads to the rubber on Saturday. Tolle sports a 19:4 K:BB ratio through 15IP this season.

 

More Nashville video:

Hustle triple for Jett Williams

Cooper Pratt doubles in Williams

Logan Henderson's four strikeouts

Pratt flares a single to right, driving in Williams again

Jeferson Quero sacrifice fly

 

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Columbus (Braves) 7, Biloxi 3
Box Score

As always, you are encouraged to read the official round-up from the team’s site: Shuckers Set Season-High with 13 Walks in Morning Loss to Clingstones

The Shuckers quickly fell behind in the Wednesday matinee game at Columbus. Biloxi starting pitcher Brett Wichrowski (5IP 7H 4R 4ER 1BB 5K) was victimized by the long ball in each of the first three innings as Columbus jumped out to an early 4-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Brewers’ top prospect Jesus Made lifted one just beyond the right field wall for his second homer of the season, courtesy of the Biloxi X account:

Made also drew two of the Shuckers 13 walks in the game. Unfortunately, Made’s homer was one of just four hits for the Shuckers, and the lone extra-base hit on the day. The Shuckers left 14 men on base and went 0/9 with RISP.

After falling behind 7-1, the Shuckers did show some signs of life in the final few frames, but couldn’t break out the big rally they needed. In the 7^th Made and Blake Burke drew two-out walks in front of Mike Boeve, but Boeve failed to deliver in the clutch. In the 8^th, the Shuckers plated two on a bases loaded walk to the newest Shucker Tayden Hall and on a Dylan O’Rae ground out. That brought the right hitters to the plate as Made (1.033 OPS) once again walked, but Burke (1.025 OPS) grounded out with the tying run on deck. In the 9^th, the Shuckers put two men on, but failed to score, falling by the final score of 7-3. Eduardo Garcia, who recently returned from injury, produced two hits in the loss.

Bishop Letson will take the mound on Thursday and will seek his first win of the season after two rocky starts (2.2IP 4H 8R 6ER 6BB 3K).

Videos:

Hall RBI walk

O’Rae RBI groundout

 

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Wisconsin pre-game media notes
Game 1: Wisconsin 7, Peoria (Cardinals) 3
Box Score

Wisconsin Jumps to Early Lead to Beat Chiefs in Game One

After Mother Nature washed out Tuesday’s game in Appleton, Wisconsin and Peoria played two seven-inning games on Wednesday. The Timber Rattlers jumped on the Cardinals’ affiliate early and often in game one. After first inning walks to Braylon Payne and Luis Pena, Marco Dinges and Josh Adamczewski each knocked in runs on singles to center.

Dinges RBI Single

Adamczewski RBI Single

In the second inning, Payne knocked in a run on a single up the middle, courtesy of Wisconsin’s X account:

In the third, Adamczewski left the yard with this shot down the left field line:

Luis Castillo added a sac fly that made it 6-0 in the third inning. 

Timber Rattlers’ starter Jason Woodward (3IP 1H 0R 2BB 1K) shut Peoria down for the first three innings and now has 5.2 scoreless innings on the ledger after missing all of the 2025 season. The Chiefs were able to break through for three runs in the 4^th off reliver Quinton Low to cut the lead in half. Daniel Dickinson was able to respond with a two-out RBI in the bottom half of the frame. That gave relievers Jesus Flores and Bryan Rivera all the support they needed, as the duo combined to shut out the Chiefs over the final three frames.

Other T-Rat notes:

• Braylon Payne stole a pair of bases and added this snag in center:

• Dickinson, a 22-year-old sixth round pick in last year’s draft, had his second multi-hit game in his last three appearances, after starting the season 1/16
• Andrew Fischer was caught stealing and is now just 1/5 in steal attempts on the season.  Fischer did add this web gem though:

Game 2: Wisconsin 6, Peoria (Cardinals) 5

Box Score

Home Runs Send Rattlers to Game Two Victory

In the second half of the twin bill, Peoria’s top prospect stole the show early when Rainiel Rodriguez (Cards’ #3 prospect via MLB Pipeline) opened the scoring with an RBI triple off Wisconsin starter Travis Smith (3.2IP 3H 4R 4ER 1BB 3K). Rodriguez then gunned down Luis Pena for his first caught stealing of the year in the bottom of the first to help Tanner Franklin (Cards’ #11 prospect) face the minimum through the first two innings.

Peoria would stake Franklin to an early 4-0 lead, but in the third, Wisconsin manufactured a run as Josiah Ragsdale led off with a single, stole second, and then came into score on a double play. Wisconsin was able to knock Franklin from the game in the fifth. After the first two men of the inning reached base via HBP and error, Ragsdale struck again with his first professional home run to tie the game at 4-4:

The 22-year-old Ragsdale was a 7^th round pick out of Boston College in last year’s draft.

The Snakes gave the lead back in following half inning, but in the bottom of the sixth, Marco Dinges and Adamczewski went back-to-back to give the Rattlers the lead for good:

Ethan Dorchies (9.95 ERA in 6.1IP) will make his third start at A+ on Thursday, as the Timber Rattlers look to make it three in a row and stay atop the Midwest League standings.

 

 

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Wilson pre-game media notes
Hill City (Guardians) 6, Wilson 3
Box Score

Pitching Lifts Hill City Past Wilson

The Warbirds have not been the Score Birds early on this season, as the club ranks last or second-to-last in the 12-team Carolina League in batting average (.161), homeruns (4), and runs (45) through their first 11 games. The team did not improve upon those numbers in their 6-3 loss to Hill City on Wednesday night, with just three runs and three hits on the night.

Jose Anderson was one of two batters in Wednesday’s lineup to have a batting average over .200 at the completion of the game. Anderson was able to knock in a run on a well-placed fly ball in the first inning. Wilson’s other two runs were scored on a balk, and a Pedro Ibarguen walk.

The Wilson pitching staff as a whole has also struggled to start the season, as the team ranks in the bottom three in runs allowed (63), strikeouts (107), and WHIP (1.61). Wilson starter Miqueas Mercedes (3IP 6H 4R 4ER 3BB 4K) labored through his outing, tossing 43 of 70 pitches for strikes. Anfernny Reyes, a 22-year-old lefty who is repeating the level to start the season, was impressive in relief. Reyes worked three spotless innings with five strikeouts.

Wilson (4-7) will send Enniel Cortez to mound in game three of their series on Thursday night. 

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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[Jim Goulart]

Sounds Hold Off Late WooSox Push in Win

Luis Lara Posts Second Straight Three Hit Night

 

NASHVILLE — Nashville held off a late WooSox rally and earned a 5-3 win on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park. The Sounds piled up a season-high five extra base hits in the win, including a pair of doubles by Luis Lara as the Brewers no. 12-rated prospect collected his second straight three-hit game and fifth overall of the season.

 

Worcester jumped out to the early lead with the help of a pair of two-out walks issued by Logan Henderson. The Brewers no. 7-rated prospect also allowed a RBI single before getting out of the opening half inning with a strikeout. Nashville's bats immediately picked him up when Jett Williams started the home half of the ballgame with a leadoff triple before scoring on Cooper Pratt's first Triple-A extra-base hit, a RBI double to the opposite field. Henderson proceeded to retire the WooSox in order in the second with a pair of strikeouts before sitting down the first two in the top of the third. The right-hander worked himself out of a little bit of trouble to end his outing after allowing his second hit and a third walk to leave two stranded in his third and final inning of work. 

 

Following a leadoff walk and a Freddy Zamora single in the bottom of the second, Pratt drew a two-out walk to keep the Sounds at the plate. Lara ensured the Sounds wouldn't squander the bases loaded situation with a two RBI single to make it a 3-1 Sounds advantage. That lead grew in the fourth inning when Williams drew a walk and swiped second to put himself in scoring position for Pratt, who made it a multi-hit and RBI game with a single off Jacob Webb. Lara added a multi-hit game of his own, his seventh in 15 games, with a double off the right field wall. Jeferson Quero's sacrifice fly extended the Sounds lead to 5-1 through the fourth.

 

Joe Corbett worked 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings in relief of Henderson with two strikeouts to help negate two walks issued. Brian Fitzpatrick was called on to get the final out of the top of the fifth and did just that with a three-pitch strikeout of Kristian Campbell to extend his scoreless innings streak to 7.2 IP and seven straight games to begin his season. The Sounds were unable to capitalize on their second bases loaded scoring opportunity of the game following back-to-back hit by pitches and a walk with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Kyle Keller stranded all three Nashville runners with a strikeout and groundout to keep the WooSox deficit to just four runs. 

 

Drew Rom worked himself into trouble with a single allowed to the first batter he faced in the sixth before walking consecutive Worcester batters to load the bases. The Nashville left-hander exchanged a run for an out after inducing a ground ball before re-loading the bases with his third walk of the inning. He responded with back-to-back strikeouts to limit the damage to just the lone run and keep it a three-run Sounds advantage. 

 

After a quiet seventh, the WooSox cut into Nashville's lead with a run off of Blake Holub in the top of the eighth. The right-hander looked poised to escape completely unscathed after allowing consecutive singles to start the inning after Braiden Ward grounded into a double play and Matt Thaiss was called out at second for runner interference. However, a flared single over an outstretched Pratt made it 5-3 in favor of Nashville. Will Childers entered the game in relief of Holub and got the final out of the top of the eighth.

 

Lara made it back-to-back three-hit games with his second double of the game but was left stranded as Childers headed back to the mound in the ninth to face the heart of the WooSox order. He followed a leadoff single with a strikeout before issuing a walk to put runners on first and second. A groundout landed runners on the corners and sent Thaiss to the plate to serve as the potential go-ahead run. After swinging 3-0 and lacing a ball just foul with home run distance, Childers got him to pop out to Williams in foul territory down the third base line to secure his third save of the season and preserve Nashville's 5-3 win.

 

The Sounds will look to make it three straight wins to begin the series on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm CT.

 

POSTGAME NOTES: 

 

LUIS THE SIXTH: Infielder Luis Lara extended his hit streak to six consecutive games and has tied teammate Tyler Black for the longest hit-streak on the team. Lara went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI in Wednesday night's win against the WooSox and has posted back-to-back 3-hit games in the first two games of the homestand. Lara was the first Sound to record two doubles in a game this season and posted a single-season career-high 32 doubles for Double-A Biloxi last season, including six games with two doubles. The Brewers no. 12 prospect is currently ranked third in batting average (.414), tied for third in hits (24), and tied for third in on-base percentage (.500) at the Triple-A level.

 

MULTI-HIT PRATT-NUM: Shortstop Cooper Pratt tacked on his first career Triple-A multi-RBI game and the second multi-hit game of the season with his first one coming on Opening Night against the Norfolk Tides on March 27. Pratt went 2-for-4, with a double and the two RBI. The Brewers no. 4 prospect posted 12 multi-RBI games with Double-A Biloxi, including a career-high four RBI against Double-A Columbus on August 12, 2025. He notched 25 multi-hit games during the 2025 season with Double-A Biloxi including six three-hit games to tie his career-high.

 

FITZ-MAGIC: Left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick continues to dominate on the mound and is currently tied with Garrett Stallings and Robert Gasser in consecutive scoreless innings tossed with 7.2 while extending his consecutive scoreless appearances to seven, tying Will Childers who also reached seven games after a scoreless appearance as well on Wednesday. Fitzpatrick has not allowed an earned run this season, posting a solid 0.00 ERA in all seven appearances. Last season, he appeared in 13 games for the Sounds and posted a 6.87 ERA, allowing 14 runs on 14 hits in 18.1 innings pitched. Six of the earned runs came in his Triple-A debut (0.2 IP) and the left-hander has allowed just eight runs over his last 19 appearances with Nashville since August 12, 2025.

 

EXTRA, EXTRA: The Nashville Sounds combined for five extra-base hits in Wednesday's win over Worcester. The trio of top prospects on Nashville's roster in Luis Lara (2 2B), Cooper Pratt (2B), and Jett WIlliams (3B) combined for four of the five while Eddys Leonard, who leads the team with eight XBH chipped in with a double. The Sounds offense had 24 games of at least five XBH during the 2025 season, including a season-high 10 on April 20, 2025, on the road in Charlotte.

 

WALK IT OUT: The Sounds pitching staff allowed a season-high 11 walks to get on base in Wednesday night's win, including three each from starter Logan Henderson and Drew Rom. The last time Nashville's pitching staff allowed 11+ walks in a single game was back on April 28, 2019, against the Iowa Cubs when they allowed 15 walks to reach base. 

[Jim Goulart]

Timber Rattlers photos via the Post-Crescent

[jay87shot]

I am very intrigued at how the organization will face promotions for players early in the season. Specially in A+, Pena, Josh A, Dinges, and Fischer shouldn't really be in Appleton for more than a month or so however there is really no one even close in Wilson to move up and take those places. 

How long do we give it before Lara is just to hot not to get a chance in the bigs. I get it that he is still 21 and this could just be a hot streak but that bat is badly needed in the bigs. The team comes back home next Friday the 24th, if things keep going the way the have he could be up by then.

[TURBO]

This T-Rat line-up is a thing of beauty!

By far, and not even close, to the best line-up I have ever seen here.

Went to the doubleheader yesterday, and it was just awesome!!!

I know it won't last too long, but in the meantime, if you have the chance to make it to a game or series, just sit back with some cheesecurds and a brat and enjoy!!!

[Playing Catch]

1 hour ago, jay87shot said:

How long do we give it before Lara is just to hot not to get a chance in the bigs. I get it that he is still 21 and this could just be a hot streak but that bat is badly needed in the bigs.

Lara's stroke from the left-side is certainly smoother, and more loft-oriented than from the right. If he can consistently get barrels like that, then he very well could offer something different than Perkins.