Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/19): A Night to Remember for Eric Bitonti while Jesús Made reminded us, that hey, he's Jesús Made

[Jim Goulart]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

The Sounds said goodbye to their first-half playoff hopes, while the Shuckers inched closer to clinching. We try to explain why incredible Maryvale right fielder Alexander Frias hasn't landed in Wilson yet.

 

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Transactions: 

• Nashville Sounds activated RHP J.B. Bukauskas from the 7-day injured list.
• SS/3B Cristopher Acosta placed on ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list

Acosta last played on June 8th.

 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes 
Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 4, Nashville 1
Box Score and Game Log

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

Sounds Eliminated from First Half Playoff Race - Stallings shined in team-high 11th start of season

The game summary didn't include video of the Luis Lara RBI single in the 5th that drove in Ethan Murray for the Sounds' lone run, but you can see it here. On the same play, Ramon Rodriguez is out at the plate as the video is unfortunately too reminiscent of the key play in the parent club's loss in Atlanta Friday night.

Speaking of reminiscent with the big-league Brewers, this didn't cost the Sounds the game but reminds us of the Jake Woodford era:

Lara joined Eddys Leonard (you read about Leonards' three walks in the summary) to reach base more than once, as Lara was hit by a pitch. It's true that Lara has cooled in June (.467 OPS in 11 games), but I've seen too many online concerns about that tiny sample vs. the weight of Lara's incredible work the prior two full months.

Concerns? Jett Williams has a .239 OBP in June, and his 0-for-4, three K night in the leadoff spot dragged his overall numbers further. Yes, four HR's this month is helpful, but what seemed an imminent call-up is now anything but. Williams isn't going to supplant Joey Ortiz as part of an MLB platoon soon despite an .862 OPS vs. AAA southpaws this season. Williams started his second game at shortstop since Cooper Pratt's call-up.

Brock Wilken was on the bench again, as his days off become more frequent.

 

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

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final, Game One: Biloxi 14, Columbus (Braves) 3, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score and Game Log

Game Two: Biloxi 1, Columbus 1, Suspended heading to the bottom of the 3rd in Biloxi, scheduled for seven innings
Box Score and Game Log

Shuckers Magic Number Drops to Two, Game Two Suspended in Third Inning - Made records four RBI in game one, four Shuckers record multi-hit efforts

Thankfully, the Shuckers socials were all about it, as was MiLB Pipeline. Specific to Jesús Made, here are the four RBI from Game One followed by his run-scoring hit in Game Two:

You are invited to visit the Shuckers' 'X' feed for the Jacob Hurtubise, Blake Burke, Josh Adamczewski, Eric Brown, Jr. and Andrew Fischer highlights, as well as the game-ending double play.

Whenever three runs scored on an extra-base hit, it'll get placed in this Link Reporter's submission, as Dylan O'Rae matched Made's earlier such knock with one of his own:

No concerns with O'Rae and Adamczewski exiting the opening game, those were "blowout moves" as each was in the starting lineup for Game Two.

Despite not walking a batter (one HBP), starting RHP Jaron DeBerry needed 93 pitches to gut out five innings of eight-hit, two-run ball for the win. Still, a solid outing.

Pretty cool how the Shuckers host New Orleans Saints legends each year.

 

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 12, Quad Cities (Royals) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers, game details: 

Bitonti Blasts Bandits with Five-Hit, Four-RBI Night - Wisconsin wins second half opener 12-2

We always tell you that game summaries are a must-see, must-read, and this is a perfect example. No just for all the embedded highlights, but also the eye-opening bookend notes from Chris Mehring regarding Eric Bitonti's Thursday night, as well as his place in T-Rat history regarding multiple five-hit efforts.

Braylon Payne scored each of the three times he reached as his OPS now sits at .989. Josiah Ragsdale doubled and tripled and isn't far behind in OPS at .904.

Adam who? Andrew who? As we await the return of Luis Pena (apparent minor hamstring issue), the Wisconsin lineup should maintain enough firepower to function well, even without any significant backfills for the Adamczewski and Fischer departures. The roster will be a bit top-heavy and will need the bottom of the order to provide production more often.

We have solved the Wande Torres mystery. The talented but often frustrating 21-year-old, no longer the 190 pounds listed on his player page, simply needs to pitch on the 19th of the month, or at least be convinced it's the 19th each time he takes the mound. Check out Torres' game log, littered with rough efforts, but two games in particular stand out.

The River Bandits starter, RHP Kendry Chourio (a Venezuelan native and apparently a popular surname in that country), was the first 18-year-old to pitch in a High-A contest since 2021 when the Marlins' Eury Perez did so. The Rattlers scoring seven runs against him (five earned) is impressive but also note that Chourio walked none (one HBP, Payne) and struck out ten in 4.2 innings. Thankfully the Royals AA affiliate isn't in the Southern League but look for this young man's future career path.

 

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Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Charleston (Rays) 4, Wilson 2
Box Score and Game Log

Wilson Bats Quieted in Second Half Opener - Mills Provides Offense with Homer

We love much of what you're doing, 18-year-old Brady Ebel, but the RiverDogs' starter set the tone in the 1st inning and finished with no walks and nine K's:

Wilson RH starter Tyler Renz tossed scoreless ball through three innings, but a pitching line can be impacted by a single pitch, and Renz knew this one was a mistake:

Newcomer RHP Bryce Schaum has not been scored upon in four outings, but the 23-year-old got help from plenty of hands in the 9th:

• Brady Marget singles on a line drive to left fielder Tyler Rodriguez. Brendan Summerhill out at home on the throw, left fielder Tyler Rodriguez to catcher Rylan Mills to second baseman Luis Lameda to catcher Rylan Mills to shortstop Juan Ortuno to right fielder José Anderson to first baseman Frederi Montero. Alberth Palma to 3rd. Brady Marget to 2nd.

Your box score review will show a quiet night outside of the Mills blast. Thankfully this output, so common in April, is pretty rare for the Warbirds these days.

 

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Final: ACL Guardians 14, ACL Brewers 11
Box Score and Game Log

This was such a good point made by my fellow Link Reporter "Ro" in our forum thread:

• The only thing holding up (Frias') promotion to Wilson is probably the ACL squad’s lack of depth -> just 3 bench position players, one of which (OF Kenny Fenelon) is probably not available after exiting Tuesday’s game early.

What is going on, Brewers Player Development? Is the organization right up against the 165-man stateside player limit? Can't ever remember a complex league team, even after the consolidation to one Arizona League squad, being so lean from a position player standpoint. For this game, other than the sidelined Fenelon, the only bench players were 1B/C Jonathan Rangel and catcher Freider Rojas.

18-year-old 2025 bonus baby Brailyn Antunez (1.023 OPS in 13 June games) homered (his 5th), singled, walked twice, stole his 9th base in 12 tries, 

Gee, the Cleveland kids played clean defense and did not allow any unearned runs. The A-Crew committed four errors and allowed three unearned runs. Gee, look at the final score.

But let's not kid ourselves. Maryvale pitchers walked 12 (three wild pitches) and only fanned two. Maryvale batters went 5-for-23 (wow, 23!) with RISP. Cleveland batters were 6-for-18, so a combined 41 AB's with RISP in this three-hour, 36-minute contest for the legions in attendance.

Earlier in the day, we indicated that RHP Hayden Vucinovich was lined up to pitch on his 19th birthday, and sure enough, he did. Vucinovich will continue to work on things as he's now walked 27 in 15.2 innings. It does make you appreciate what other recent high school picks like Renz and Jayden Dubanewicz accomplished when they toiled in the desert.

 

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Final: DSL Brewers Gold 11, DSL Athletics 4
Box Score and Game Log

The Golden Boys improved to 4-10 with this win, scoring in four of the first five innings to jump to an 11-1 lead before quietly coasting in the latter innings.

Still just 17 years old, Venezuelan LHP Santiago Martinez now has a 19-to-3 K-to-BB mark through three appearances. After pitching five, then four, innings in his first two outings, he was lifted with two outs in the 3rd here, immediately after retiring two batters, the last on a strikeout. Hopefully the young man is OK.

Angeni Fernandez did not come cheap last January with a $500,000 bonus for the still-just-16-year-old Dominican native. Thus far, he has started seven games in center field, three in left, and the right-handed batter started his third game at second base here. Fernandez singled twice and drew four walks, that'll lift one's OBP quickly (now .477 through 13 games).

Ricki Moneys has ten hits in his last five games and with all due respect to the younger crowd here, this late rock legend namesake says his bat was Shakin':

 

I didn't have time to time-stamp Brewers Gold highlights here, but if you care to attempt to do so, let us know what and when in the comments:

 

 

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Final: DSL Royals Fortuna 3, DSL Brewers Blue 0
Box Score and Game Log

The rare day when the now 9-4 Blue squad is outperformed by their DSL mates on the Gold side.

Blue batters outhit the Royals 6-5, including doubles for 16-year-old Leanders Matos and catcher Yoneiker Lugo, but stranded nine with a 1-for-8 with RISP effort, obviously no RBI in the shutout loss.

Lugo grounded out to end the 6th and was then replaced the next half-inning, so as we so often say, something to monitor.

RHP Justin Lugo, a Dominican native not related to his aforementioned Venezuelan batterymate, had the strongest of the three Blue pitching lines, though all three hurlers were solid.

 

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I'll be back for you Sunday AM, and the only reason seven games are scheduled rather than eight is that the two DSL squads again face each other. 

As our good friend Javik in Biloxi reminds us:

Hope it's a wonderful Saturday for 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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