Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/13): Good Times in Appleton, Carolina is Riding High

TRANSACTIONS:

- RHP Caleb Boushley transferred to the AAA Nashville Development List.
- C Payton Henry activated from the 7-day injured list (after a minimum stay)

For the moment, OF Michael Reed (his signing announced on Thursday by the Brewers Player Development Twitter account) was assigned to the ACL Brewers. It appears we can see with some certainty now that there is no longer an ACL Brewers Blue or an ACL Brewers Gold, but just the one Maryvale club.

A reminder, this is not the former Brewers big leaguer (2015-2016), who last played professionally in 2019. This Michael Reed would be the former San Diego 2016 2nd round pick, who has also played in the Oakland and LA Dodgers organizations. The Dodgers released Reed on 4/29, he's yet to make big league debut, recently turned 28 years old, a switch-hitter, has seen action across the OF spots.
 

Final: Gwinnett (Braves) 4, Nashville 3

Via the Sounds' site, we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine:

Sounds Come Up Short Against Stripers - "Nashville drops game 4-3 despite outhitting Gwinnett 14-6"

Pre-Game Media Notes

Box Score / Game Log

Team RISP: 0-for-9
Team LOB: 11

Based on the game summary headline, your box score attention likely immediately turned to the two items listed above.

Every batter in the lineup save for Cam Devanney (playing second base in this one) had at least one base knock. It's only been 66 plate appearances for Devanney thus far after missing the first three weeks of the season on the IL, but Cam has work to do to reach the levels that had many of us rooting him on in 2022 (.834 OPS).

Does everyone feel we are getting hit over the head with "on-base streak" info? Don't get us wrong, we appreciate it, but it's definitely the go-to note across all the levels of the system these days. It's not a priority item among big-league news, not just with the Crew but across the MLB landscape. 

That being said, Abraham Toro's 30-game streak, as detailed in the game summary linked above, is clearly impressive. The 40-man roster big league vet of 262 big league games may not play into Milwaukee's 2023 plans, barring injuries, but he'll again be in the mix for 2024 as well, representing value as part of the Kolten Wong / Jesse Winker deal.

Infielder Patrick Dorrian on base all four times up (three singles, HBP).

The loss was a bit of a shame, since the Sounds played clean defense as well. 

Is it too early to refer to LHP Robert Gasser as an enigma, or at least frustratingly talented? Gasser has walked 21 and plunked another six in his 31.1 innings. Better yet to say a tantalizing work in progress. The soon-to-be 24-year-old didn't allow his first hit until two were out in the 5th inning.

Day off for Keston Hiura.

Wish this highlight extended the home plate view a fraction of a second longer, the bat release appears to have been epic:

Final: Rocket City (Angels) 2, Biloxi 1

Via the Shuckers' site:

Pitching Leads Charge on Both Sides, Shuckers Fall to Trash Pandas - T.J. Shook, Nick Bennett combine for 6.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Biloxi

Pre-Game Media Notes 

Box Score / Game Log

You'll find Friday's pre-game interview with Manager Mike Guerrero here, and by end of day Sunday, RHP Tobias Myers' chat will be posted as well.

Tyler Black stole his 18th base in 19 tries (he has played 28 games, extend that pace to a full season, yikes). Is anyone else thinking "ease up on the attempts, Tyler, you've proven you can do this". There are so many things that can happen amongst all those slides, tags, bursts, just don't want to see something add to Black's fluky in-game 2022 injury past.

Jackson Chourio singled and walked but was also picked off first base with one out in the 9th, can't happen in a 2-1 game.

Five-game hit streak for Zavier Warren, a single knock in each of those games, with four of them lifted for HR's.

The Shuckers always-active Twitter Media Page finds room to highlight relievers T.J. Shook and Nick Bennett, both who shined in this game.

Nice rake by Felix Valerio here, but you'll be disappointed when you review the 5h inning of the game log above, nobody picked him up as the AA club, like their AAA sibling, was also "oh-fer" with RISP Saturday:

Final:  Wisconsin 4, South Bend (Cubs) 2

Via the Timber Rattlers' site:

Wisconsin Beats South Bend 4-2 for Third Straight Win - Trio of hurlers hold Cubs to three hits

Pre-Game Media Notes (Download Link) via the team's Virtual Press Box

Box Score / Game Log

OK, now we're talking!

Speaking of talking:

Click here for the Postgame Podcast to hear from Joseph Hernandez, Ben Metzinger, & Manager Joe Ayrault

There is a lot of goodness in this video, including nice profile views of Eric Brown's stance and setup, to the movement on Joseph Hernandez' pitch juxtaposed with his high inside heat. We needed to see Edwin Jimenez' mound work, but that'll have to wait until his next outing.
 

Team RISP: 4-for-17
Team LOB: 12

Not strong, but oodles better than we've seen in this report thus far, and enough for the win.

We've been hearing all spring how Biloxi's roster is the youngest in all of AA, particularly on the position player side. For the Timber Rattlers, there is youth as well, yet this is a very experienced group. Just in Saturday's starting lineup, we have Je'Von Ward (23, entered the system in 2017), Alex Hall (soon-to-be 24, entered 2018), Darrien Miller (22, 2019), Ernesto Martinez (24 next month, 2017) and Terence Doston (22, 2019). In similar status are Saturday's bench players: Jose Acosta, Micah Bello, Jesus Chirinos and Jose Sibrian. All nine are either high school draftees or international signings. Of course, each lost 2020 altogether.

This is RHP Edwin Jimenez' age 21 season. Yee-hah!
 

Final: Carolina 6, Fredericksburg (Nationals) 1

Via the Mudcats' site:

Division Leading Mudcats Win Third Straight 6-1 - Misiorowski and Peterson combined to allow just one run and three hits in Carolina's Saturday night victory

Pre-Game Media Notes 

Box Score / Game Log

A reminder to always invest the 5-to-7 minutes that Voice of the Mudcats Greg Young provides us:

Manager Victor Estevez Post-Game Interview

Get your napkin ready, because you're about to salivate, my goodness:

Whoever tandems with Misiorowski will be unfortunately regularly be overshadowed, but 23-year-old lefty Nate Peterson is rightfully performing well beyond the Low-A level.

As you read in the summary, Matt Wood was on base all five plate appearances, DH'ing Saturday. When even your manager suggests that you may not be long for this level, you had better start packing your travel bag. The Nittany Lions faithful must have so enjoyed Wood's stay at Penn State (4th round, 2022). Forgive me for getting Jonathan Lucroy vibes, which is an unfairly high model to aspire to.

The organization is going to do whatever they can to try and get Hedbert Perez right - another reason why you'll go back and listen to Victor Estevez by scrolling up! It is amazing how the Hedbert hype train developed, all the prospect rankers bought in to some extent, not all were "all-in", but still. The feature articles, the interviews, etc. If Perez' career remains off the rails, it's going to be a fascinating reflection as to what the heck happened. He's no longer a teenager.
 

Blessings to all the Mom's today - those we've lost, those we still are able to cherish. I hope you all get an opportunity to honor and/or remember them in a special way today. What better way than to bid on the Timber Rattlers' jersey auction, all proceeds to charity. Fang's jersey currently leads the bidding!

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

 

Interested in learning more about the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!