Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/21): Jimenez, Black and Galindez Shine as Affiliates Split Sunday Contests

All four full season affiliates captured series wins this week – Biloxi taking theirs 5 games to 1, while Nashville, Wisconsin and Carolina each won 4 of 6 games.

Transactions:

• LHP Jared Koenig recalled to MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville (replacing injured LHP DL Hall)
• RHP James Meeker promoted to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi
• OF Chris Roller placed on AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list, retroactive to April 20
• C Alejandro Rodriguez activated by High-A Wisconsin from Development List

We thank MLB.com Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy for getting a little more insight into the C Wes Clarke and OF/INF Eduardo Garcia injuries reported earlier: 

Game Action:
Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 7, Omaha 3
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: Sounds Take Series Finale, Earn First Series Win

This was a gutty performance by Nashville to clinch their first series win, given the recent outflow of players (Wiemer, Miller, Koenig, Gutierrez, Thompson, Roller, Myers to a degree) and the fact that this was essentially a bullpen game.

With no starting pitcher available, LHP Nick Bennett (3 1/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 1 K) ably stepped into the breach and delivered three shutout innings while the Sounds built a 3-0 lead. Bennett had only exceeded 50 pitches in 6 of 33 contests last year (and zero times in 3 games in 2024), but threw 69 pitches here.

Later, with the game tied 3-3 and all momentum having swung in Omaha’s favor (e.g. 10 straight Sounds were retired), Nashville was given a boost from an unexpected source: reliever Jake Brentz failed to retire any of five batters faced in the bottom of the 7th inning, allowing two runs in without the ball leaving the infield (3 walks, 1 HBP, 1 nobody-out fielder’s choice).

Credit 1B Tyler Black (2-for-4, HR, walk, 4 RBIs) with the clutch 2-out, 2 RBI single to put the game out of reach in the bottom of the 8th inning. You can go to the Sounds’ Twitter feed to see that single and many other highlights, while I show Black’s earlier homer here: 

It’s fair to wonder whether RHP Kevin Herget and/or LHP Rob Zastryzny have an opt-out clause in their contracts. Both are immensely valuable in the Nashville bullpen, delivering 2 1/3 shutout innings in this game to give them a combined 15 2/3 shutout innings this year, with 18 Ks and one walk.

Sounds’ Extras:

• Two of the three runs charged against Bennett and RHP James Meeker (2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks) stemmed from attempts to get a little bit extra out of them – i.e. asking Bennett to extend beyond 54 pitches (a double, pop out, single and walk followed) and Meeker to go past 31 pitches (a double followed).
• Despite his mediocre final line, Meeker did very well to strand two inherited runners from Bennett to maintain a 3-1 lead through four innings (shallow fly, swinging K of old friend Cam Devanney). The same can be said of Storm Chasers’ reliever Sam Long, who stranded three inherited runners (with nobody out) in the 7th inning, then gave up the back-breaking hit to Black the following inning.
• I'll admit that I didn’t think much of the OF Chavez Young (1-for-2, HR, walk, HBP, 2 RBIs) off-season signing (.634 OPS last year, split between AA and AAA), but he stepped up with a solo homer here and has been holding his own (.238 AVG, .717 OPS in 51 PAs). 

Next week’s outlook: The Sounds (11-10) take the 2 hour, 45-minute drive to face Reds’ affiliate Louisville (9-12). RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (6.75 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 10.1 K/9 in 18 2/3 IP) is scheduled to start the opener, still trying to locate consistently in 2024.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Chattanooga 10, Biloxi 1
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Shuckers Drop Series Finale to Lookouts

LHP Nate Peterson’s (4 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks) third start in 11 days (following in Aaron Ashby’s footsteps for Nashville earlier in the week) was a struggle, as he conceded four solo homers and a triple this time out. Obviously, the strategy was to keep things in the zone (40 strikes in 58 pitches), while Chattanooga’s objective was to hit it out of the ballpark.

Despite being out-hit 14 to 5, Biloxi actually had their chances, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position to strand 11 men.

Shuckers’ Extras:

• For the third time this year, RHP Sam Gardner (2 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks) was asked to deliver two relief innings and for the second time that second frame proved challenging. He retired five of the first six batters he faced before conceding a single and a 2-run homer to tarnish his final line.
• Credit RHP Shane Smith with stranding two baserunners inherited from LHP Justin King, along with his 1 1/3 shutout innings (0 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks).
• Recently-promoted 3B Mike Boeve (0-for-4, walk; one error in the field) will have to wait until Tuesday to collect his first hit in AA ball. 

Next week’s outlook: Marlins’ affiliate Pensacola (6-8) may be “two states over” from Biloxi (10-5), but it’s just a 1 hour, 45-minute drive along the Gulf Coast. RHP Jacob Misiorowski is the most likely starter for the opening game.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Wisconsin 2, Cedar Rapids 0
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Wisconsin Shuts Out Cedar Rapids to Claim Series Victory

As is typically the case for their home series, Wisconsin’s media team put together terrific video highlights and I encourage you to watch RH reliever Craig Yoho making hitters look silly from the 1:54 mark onward:

We’re also blessed with another Mehring-Lobner podcast (20 minutes, including discussions with Manager Victor Estevez and starting RHP Edwin Jimenez) recording to give us further club insights.

Jimenez (5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks) continued his bounceback from a 4-run first inning one week earlier (conceding one run over the remaining 4 1/3 IP in that game and zero runs in this one) to position Wisconsin for a series-clinching win.

It was rather risky for the offense to go to sleep after scoring two runs in the 1st inning (2B Dylan O’Rae walk, SS Jadher Areinamo double, C Matthew Wood sac fly), producing just three hits and going 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position, but it thankfully worked out on this 53-degree afternoon.

Timber Rattlers’ Extras:

• RHPs Chase Costello, Aaron Rund and Yoho had identical lines (a scoreless, hitless inning with 2 Ks each), contributing to this being a 1 hour, 59-minute contest.
• RHP Stiven Cruz made things tense in the 7th inning (single, walk, 2-0 count) before inducing the ground ball double play as Areinamo (1-for-4, double, RBI) demonstrated that he can excel at shortstop as well.
• We’re left to wonder about the health of 3B/1B Luke Adams (exited Saturday’s game early and didn’t feature in this game), while also praying that hot-hitting SS Gregory Barrios’ absence was simply a day off.

Next week’s outlook: Cardinals’ affiliate Peoria (Illinois) (6-9) may sound close by, but it’s actually a four and a half hour drive from Appleton. RHP Patricio Aquino (2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 3.6 K/9 in 10 IP) is the Timber Rattlers’ (10-5) scheduled starter for the opening game of the road series.

Final: Augusta 3, Carolina 1 (official in 6 innings)
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details: Carolina Drops Rain-Shortened Series Finale in Augusta

When RHP Yorman Galindez (4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 WP, 7 Ks) was promoted from the Arizona Complex League to Low-A Carolina in August 2023 despite a 5.02 ERA and 1.70 WHIP, it was fair to wonder what we were missing. Well, all the 21-year old has done since then is reward the Brewers’ faith: 1.50 ERA in 18 IP in Carolina last year and now a 1.93 ERA in 9 1/3 to start the 2024 campaign. 

Curt Hogg and Spencer Michaelis both like what they see in Galindez’s improved slider.

Manager Nick Stanley and the team will rue the missed chances early in the game, putting five players on base in the first two innings but failing to push any runs across. Credit Augusta starter Riley Frey (from Oshkosh West and UW-Milwaukee) with critical strikeouts of SS Daniel Guilarte, left fielder Luis Castillo and center fielder Yophery Rodriguez to end those threats.

LHP Osbriel Mogollon (1 1/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 Ks) was terrific in two earlier long relief outings (7 1/3 scoreless innings), but the GreenJackets jumped on him here: back-to-back four pitch walks, followed by a double and a single.

Mudcats’ Extras:

• Mogollon’s defense gave one away (Blayberg Diaz fielding error at first base to put the first hitter aboard), but also took one back (left fielder Castillo throwing out a runner at home on a relay throw by SS Guilarte). To be fair, this was Diaz’ first game at first base since July 2022.
• Call me an ignorant conspiracist, but I struggled to accept that play couldn’t have eventually resumed, given that rainfall essentially ceased by 3:53pm according to online data. But who knows – maybe the field was truly a mess or perhaps all parties were simply happy to end the week a bit early.

Next week’s outlook: The Mudcats (12-3) return home to have their second series of the year against Red Sox affiliate Salem (6-9). Although none has been announced, 18-year RHP Manuel Rodriguez is most likely to start the series opener.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Catch the Brewers in Pittsburgh tomorrow, then get back to follow our minor leaguers on Tuesday.

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