Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/26): Eric Brown Jr. Leaves Game After HBP to Face (Early News is Good); Sounds Secure Sole Affiliate Victory

 Game Balls: We're handing out our first recognition to Mudcats OF Kaylan Nicasia who continued his recent run of stellar work at the plate with an impressive 2-for-3 outing (5-for-6 in the series), RHP Harold Chirino who hurled yet another scoreless 2K inning of work (8 IP, 0 ER, 15K, 1 BB so far in 2023), INF Jose Acosta who was a hit shy of the cycle after being thrust into spot duty when Brown Jr. left the game, RHP Caleb Boushley showed out with his best outing of the early 2023 season and reminded us 2022 was not a fluke, and INF/OF Keston Hiura continues to absolutely shine for the Sounds in 2023 with a 3-for-4 (one hit shy of the cycle) evening including a 2B and a solo rocket (see below).

Transactions:

• RHP Tyson Miller was recalled from the Nashville Sounds to the Milwaukee Brewers
• LHP Alex Claudio was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers
• RHP J.B. Bukauskas was activated by the Nashville Sounds (he had been on the 7-Day IL with a stomach ailment)
• C Darlin Lora was released by the ACL Brewers Blue (More HERE)
• OF Eduarh Colina was released by the ACL Brewers Gold (More HERE)

Final: Nashville 5, Omaha (Royals) 0
Box Score / Game Log

Game Notes 

Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review:

Sounds Stymie Storm Chasers in Shutout Victory

RHP Caleb Boushley was looking to continue the momentum built off his last rebound outing and he certainly did so. Tonight's effort was an echo from the net results of his entire 2022 season: weak contact when the pitched ball was hitting bats, a fine mix of off-speed to pair with his sinker, and nibbling in and around the zone. After a bloop line drive/groundout to INF Andruw Monasterio to end the fourth frame, he was sitting at a mere 53 pitches. A collective sigh of relief was heard murmuring throughout the Sounds coaching staff. This was his best outing of 2023 and, frankly, it was fantastic: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 K, 0 BB, 0 ER. 

Three Quick Strikes:

1) I said it before the season began when he was announced as a Development List participant, and I'll say it again here: INF Patrick Dorrian is a vastly underrated and under-appreciated player. He's as steady as they come on the left side of the infield and he already proved himself as a pivotal bat in last year's playoff push after the Brewers acquired him from Norfolk. He made a couple solid plays early to help RHP Caleb Boushley breeze through his early innings, but no play was better than this web gem charging a bunt down the third base line:

2) INF Keston Hiura claims he likes to get away from the game and the ballpark when he can. He actually enjoys a round of golf to work on his swing away from the baseball diamond and has seen worthwhile results. Who knew? Well, you do now. He continues to impress in Nashville, in all facets really, as he looks to carve his way back to the Major Leagues. Both extra base hits tonight were things of beauty. He took a protective swing on a borderline high and outside heater and ripped an oppo dart to the wall in right field. In the bottom of the sixth inning, with the Sounds clinging to a 1-0 lead, he sat on a change-up sinking just below the zone and golfed a rocket 409 feet over the left field wall at a cool 109 mph. 

Game Notes 

Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review:

Early Runs Lead M-Braves to 4-2 Win Over Shuckers

Braves highly-touted and uber-talented RHP Tanner Gordon got the best of the Shuckers once again in April - he's a fantastic young hurler and the Braves are lucky to have him. The Shuckers' RHP Christian Mejias was done in by two long balls - a two-run kind in the top of the first frame and a solo shot in his fifth and final inning. He finished his day with 5 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 ER, and 4 K. The Shuckers trailed 3-0 at that point but, all in all, manager Mike Guerrero had to have been pleased with another solid starting effort from Mejias overall.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) The Shuckers really tried to make a game of this late when they mustered a threatening bases loaded rally. With one down, last night's MVP OF Lamar Sparks came through with an opposite field line drive single knocking two across:

With runners on the corner after Sparks' timely knock, newly returned Jeferson Quero (in the DH slot) hit into the inning-ending double play. This ultimately added to the unfortunate 1-for-11 with RISP mark the Shuckers experienced on the day, and it was the team's last meaningful threat.

2) We haven't seen much of INF Felix Valerio in the early going. And, when we have seen him, we certainly haven't seen many signs of the bounce back season we've been hoping for. The obvious caveat, as with all our Brewers prospects, is it is still April and the sample size is entirely too small to make sweeping judgments. However, on this same date in 2022 Valerio had already seen twice the AB's. In 2023, with a clear platoon going on, the K:BB ratio is till admirable and this is a good thing. Yet, we don't see a single XBH in 24 AB's. Does he need more playing time? Will he earn or be given more playing time? We've discussed on this very forum for some time: this is a huge year for the young and talented infielder. To date, unfortunately, in 2023 it has been a mostly uneventful. He ended his day, playing 2B, with an 0-for-3, 2 K, 1 BB line. He is hitting a 0.125 BA with an 0.448 OPS in his limited trips to the dish.

3) It was nice to witness LHP Nick Bennett experience some bounce back bullpen success in his 2 IP, 1 BB, 1 H, 3 K, 0 ER stint - a much needed outing for the young lefty. However, if we're going to talk about breakout pitching performances in the Biloxi relief corps early in 2023, we really should look no further than RHP Harold Chirino. He had a really fantastic April in 2022 - and, in 2023 he's even better. After today's outing, he's now appeared in six contests with 8 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 15 K, 0 ER. Batters are hitting a meager 0.192 and he's sporting a stellar 0.75 WHIP. Can he stay healthy for a full season? I sure as heck hope so.

Game Notes 

Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review:

Sky Carp Stay Hot Against Wisconsin

The young Timber Rattlers continue struggling to will their way to victories. They lost yet another tight contest to Beloit on a gorgeous sunny afternoon at Fox Cities Stadium. RHP Cameron Wagoner continues to adjust to High-A and it's been up-and-down to date. He ended his day after 4 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 ER, 3 K. He'll want that second inning sequence back - HBP, 2B, and 3-run HR - and he'll get that chance in his next outing. Hats off are due for RHP Max Lazar and his solid 4 IP effort - 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 ER. 

The latest T-Rats podcast (a new format, it appears, in 2023) was posted just after this most recent loss - Kyle and Chris always find the positives:

Full Game Highlights:

Three Quick Strikes:

1) It's not easy to come into a game unexpected and early. INF Jose Acosta did just that today after Eric Brown Jr. took a first inning pitch high and inside ricocheting off the lip of his helmet and then his nose  (according to manager Joe Ayrault in the above podcast, Brown Jr. has no concussion and no breakage - go to the 1 hr and 16 minute mark in the MILB.TV game footage for the play). Acosta miraculously finished his day (3-for-3) one hit shy of a cycle. Quite a performance - hopefully, it leads to more opportunities in the line-up as the T-Rats could use his feisty mentality right now. Here's a look at his deep triple in his first AB after Brown Jr. exited the game:

2) OF Joe Gray Jr. continues to have a solid start to his 2023 campaign - with Joe Ayrault (podcast above) also claiming he has taken on a leadership role in the clubhouse. He is still susceptible to those oh so tricky off-speed low and away deliveries but this current early season performance is light years better than 2022. He finished his day 2-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI. He also picked up his fifth stolen base of the season. 

Final: Kannapolis (White Sox) 4, Carolina 3
Box Score / Game Log

I've seen enough of Cannon Baller first baseman, and 2022 10th round draft pick, Tim Elko. This 24-year-old has the 6'4" 240 pound chiseled frame of an International League veteran. He has the look, the agility, and the bat of a player who belongs in Triple-A. He's a heck of a find for the White Sox - he's done a lot of damage in the first two games of the ongoing series and it would appear he's doing damage all across the Carolina League. RHP Yujanyer Herrera continued his fine starting work of early 2023 giving manager Victor Estevez 5 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 ER. We'll want to see the free passes come down as he is currently teetering the line of a 16:13 K:BB ratio. But, beyond that, he hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in a single start in April. That is giving his young teammates a chance every time he takes the mound.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) It was a slow start to INF's Gregory Barrios and Daniel Guillarte's 2023 season, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a more dynamic duo in the batting order than these two of late. Guillarte, in particular, is really coming on. After today's 2-for-4, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 SB (his 9th already on the young season) effort, the young shortstop saw his batting average run up to 0.293 with a healthy 0.751 OPS. The dynamic duo had a deep hole to dig out of with their slow start, but they are collectively showing very intriguing signs of better things to come.

2) All my early season Mudcats outfield chatter was focused on nearly everyone except the young 21-year-old Kaylan Nicasia. In the early going, at least, Nicasia is showing me this may have been an oversight. After today's 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K effort (with an outfield assist to boot!), Nicasia finds himself with a 5-for-6, 2 BB, 0 K line after the first two games of this hotly contested series. Let's hope he can keep this up and make a name for himself in 2023.

3) He doesn't receive much fanfare or recognition given his rough stint with High-A Wisconsin in 2022 (a stint that led to his demotion), but RHP Miguel Guerrero has been nothing short of excellent since that late 2022 summer send down. After today's 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K outing - if we go back to 2022 - we are looking at 19 G, 29 1/3 IP, 21 H, 16 BB, 0 HBP, 38 K, 1 HR, 4 ER of work at Low-A Carolina. He's picked up where he left off here in the early going. Let's hope he can build on this momentum and get back to High-A where he'll look to prove himself once again.

We're back to all evening tilts tomorrow across the Brewers Minor League. We'll see some more tantalizing pitching prospects throughout: RHP Janson Junk in Nashville; RHP Carlos Rodriguez in BIloxi, RHP Stiven Cruz in Wisconsin, and RHP Quinton Low will get the initial nod in Carolina. Stay tuned throughout the week - here and in the Minor League forum - as myself, @damuelle, and @Mass Haas bring your more news and reports. As always, thank you for reading and tuning in as these young men chase their baseball dreams.

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