Brewers Minor League Report (7/15): ACL Brewers Lose Late Lead; Injury Exit Spotlights MiLB Roster Constraints

[Telemachus Rafaelidys]

Image courtesy of BrewerFanatic

A Maryvale player exits due to injury, further highlighting the constraints placed on player development staffs across MiLB and the impact current roster limitations have on the state of baseball, especially at the lower levels.

 

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Transaction: 

• Wilson DH/LF Jadyn Fielder traded to Houston for 40-man roster members RHP Lance McCullers, Jr. and LHP Colton Gordon.

 

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ACL Rangers 8, ACL Brewers 7, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score & Game Log

The Brewers took a 7-4 lead with a productive five-run top of the fifth. The first three batters of the inning walked followed by Brailyn Antunez knocking in two with a single. The rest of the inning was a blur for the Rangers' pitchers and catcher, as the Brewers stole four bases, Antunez scored on a wild pitch and Moises Polanco scored on an Engel Paulino hit by pitch. The Rangers manager was also ejected during the inning.

It was all for naught, as the Desert Brewers gave one run back in the bottom of the fifth and two in the sixth.

Antunez finished 3-4 with a double. Kenny Fenelon was 0-3 with a walk and stole his 22nd base of the season. Roderick Flores and Leonard Rijo both had RBI line drive singles to center to account for the Brewers first two runs of the game.

Joan Pena pitched the last two innings giving up three earned runs while allowing three hits and walking three, but five of the six outs he recorded came via the strikeout.

Catcher Jonathan Rangel was pulled from the game in the 4th as the game log noted an injury delay as successive run-scoring wild pitches were thrown by RH starter Dariel Jaquez, two of the five thrown by Jacquez in his four innings of work (5 R, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR).

Rangel was replaced behind the dish by Malachai Halterman. A third catcher, Freider Rojas, has appeared in 17 games at catcher this season (13 starts). However, if Rangel, who also has 17 starts at first base, were to miss any time, it further depletes an extremely lean roster. The only non-catcher on the bench as this game started was middle infielder CJ Hughes.

This lack of stateside roster flexibility across MiLB has been discussed to some extent in the national media this summer. Organizations are limited to 165 non-40-man roster stateside players (those on the 60-day or full-season injured list do not count, though the number of players that can be designated as long-term injured is capped at 15).

Jake Mintz, Senior Baseball Writer at Yahoo, wrote an excellent piece on this topic in May, well worth your time:

What a 29-2 score says about the state of low-level minor-league baseball — and why MLB fans should care
The complex leagues are a vital part of the sport's talent pipeline, yet experts agree that the quality of play on has reached an all-time low

 

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The two Dominican League teams return to action Thursday morning, while the Arizona club hosts the Athletics in Maryvale. Full-season affiliates continue to enjoy time off (back in action on Friday).

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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