Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/19): How Sweep It Is!

Not only did all four affiliates prove victorious Friday, but they were all come-from-behind wins. Yes, even Wisconsin's 13-3 rout saw them trail 1-0 after half an inning, and MLB and MiLB do track come-from-behind victories in this manner.

Transactions:

• Milwaukee Brewers activated RHP Trevor Megill from the 7-day injured list (brief rehab stint in Nashville ends)
• Milwaukee Brewers recalled SS Andruw Monasterio from Nashville Sounds (takes the spot of 1B Jake Bauers, Bereavement List)
• OF Justin Dirden assigned to Biloxi Shuckers (made Brewers organization debut Friday)

On April 5th, MLB Trade Rumors discussed Houston's release of Dirden, the only other organization the 26-year-old LH bat had known. Good way to get to know him.

Last night my friend Daniel provided as-they-happen observances in a nice concise Minor League Forum thread. Feel free to review that as I'll add what I can below.
 

Final, Nashville 3, Omaha (Royals) 2
(Media Notes unavailable Friday)
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:

Hicklen's Eighth Inning Homer Lifts Sounds Over Omaha - Chad Patrick throws quality start in Nashville’s 3-2 win over Storm Chasers

Love that Mr. Hicklen reposted this post from the 16th last night:

Minor league free agents, trade pickups in seemingly minor deals, Milwaukee's front office just seems to hit much more often than not. And by hit, it doesn't have to be a grand slam acquisition. Considering that 40-man roster outfielder Chris Roller has been sidelined for unknown reasons since exiting a game early on the 11th, Hicklen would appear to be the logical "next man up" should the Brewers need to address any new outfield issue at the big-league level. Hicklen is that close. In the meantime, he fills up the cleanup spot line like he did in Friday's box. By the way, 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts, he'd fit right in! It'd take some 40-man roster maneuvering to bring Brewer up to the Brewers, but keep one eye open, Joey Wiemer.

Speaking of solid pickups in rather invisible ways, do you remember how RHP Chad Patrick landed with the Crew in November? Good for you if you immediately blurted out the Abraham Toro-to-Oakland deal. Patrick's 2023 numbers in offensively charged AA and AAA environs in 2023 don't catch the eye, As Patrick continues to stretch out, he has a shiny WHIP of 1.00 through his first three starts with the Sounds.

More video from the Sounds' X feed can be found here.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 5, Chattanooga (Reds) 3
Box Score and Game Log

Shuckers Storm Back for Seventh Straight Win - Bullpen tosses four scoreless innings, Shuckers score five unanswered in win over Lookouts

Before I forget, and circling back to how we as fans are treated so well in our prospect fandom, keep the Biloxi archived interview page bookmarked. I will always contend that the very best way to learn about the players we follow is to listen to the chats with the coaches and farmhands faithfully as the season progresses. The Shuckers' Javik Blake wonderfully releases his interviews daily. Although we have to wait until each Monday to get Jeff Hem's week's worth of Nashville audio, it is worth the wait and one of my favorite half-hours of the week, plowing through all the entries in that collection. Plus, we get Chris Mehring and Kyle Lobner's postgame podcasts at least twice each Appleton homestand. Spoiled, folks.

We await word on Eduardo Garcia's injury status, not to mention that C/1B Wes Clarke last played Sunday the 14th. Several Shuckers who normally wouldn't see as much consistent playing time have had a chance to show their wares. Hard to argue with a seven-game winning streak, right? The number of runs scored during the streak - 31, so just under 4.5 per contest. No double-digit explosions, but that's not really what this squad is about.

Yay for the new dude --

More video from the Shuckers' X feed can be found here.

RHP Tyler Woessner allowed six hits in five innings (three of them doubles), walked one and plunked another. But only two of the three runs charged to him were earned, and even on his not-very-best nights, we smile with him on the mound.

Save #4 for Justin Yeager and his 0.00 ERA through 5.2 innings with seven K's, all because the Braves didn't think William Contreras was enough to hand Matt Arnold. Come back to MLB Network in 15 years for their full-length retrospective film on the Esteury Ruiz deal. Kudos to all the Biloxi bullpen members, by the way.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 13, Cedar Rapids (Twins) 3
Box Score and Game Log

Rattlers Find a Lucky 13 on a Friday to Beat Kernels - Wisconsin scores eight runs in first inning for a 13-3 win

Enjoy:

It's a 0.91 WHIP through the very first three pro appearances (all starts) for 2023 13th round RHP Brett Wichrowski. I fear that no matter how it goes down, this coming July's Milwaukee amateur draft will unfairly be compared to the 2023 crop - how could it not be?

Ho-hum, Mike Boeve, playing first base in this one, reached all three times (two singles, walk). We trust his exit from the contest to open the 5th inning was purely related to the 12-2 score at the time. Do we nit-pick a .553/.642/.632 line - I am embarrassed my keyboard even typed that. However, 18 singles and three doubles within the 21 Boeve knocks.

Look, it's only a dozen games, but the early offensive breakout of shortstop Gregory Barrios (he of the $1 million signing bonus in January 2021) is potentially huge. The glove is (and was) fantastic, but that .585 OPS as a Mudcat last season is hard to forget. It's a .941 OPS in his hot current season start.

Lest we forget, we'll have to hope for a similar advancement by the even pricier January 2022 signing, the not-related-to-Gregory Johan Barrios, the now 19-year-old $1.385 million bonus baby who struggled in Maryvale in 2023 and did not break camp with Carolina this year.

Final: Carolina 5, Augusta (Braves) 3
Box Score and Game Log

Rodriguez Go-Ahead Grand Slam in Ninth Powers Mudcats to Thrilling Win 

Sorry, Yophery Rodriguez, we didn't mean to bury the lead!

Make sure, like always, you digest that game story linked above, and then take in this clip, keeping in mind that it's a road game, so it's the opponent's call and non-exemplary camera work. But do enjoy watching all the gray uniforms circling the bases from the overhead view, along with the dejected drooping shoulders in red jerseys. Man, shut out for 8.1 innings, and then that, wow.

Oh, are Brewers fans going to grow to love this face, and Yophery doesn't turn 19 until December. This current front office / scouting regime is coming up aces.

Looks like 18-year-old RHP Josh Knoth is being brought along early at a perfectly reasonable pace, pitching exactly every seven days, thanks to the MiLB schedule introduced in 2022. RHP Jesus Rivero, 20, hasn't lined up exactly with Knoth, but was a good choice for the piggy-back here.

What's that, another undrafted find excelling in Carolina before an eventual mid-year bump to Wisconsin? Say hello to 22-year-old RHP Harrison Durow (save # 4), yet to allow a hit in his three appearances (all saves), Five K's, one BB, one HBP - the 0.25 WHIP is fun.

It's an afternoon affair for the Timber Rattlers, but the other affiliates rock out their Saturday nights, which we all know are alright for fightin'. We'll see if Biloxi's TJ Shook shakes Chattanooga all night long. Enjoy the start of your weekend, everyone. Catch you again Sunday AM.

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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