Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/14): Dinges Has Monster Day; Seigler Mashes; Wilken's Heater Continues on Full Blast

Transactions:

• RHP Nick Merkel was activated from the 7-Day IL by the Biloxi Shuckers
• LHP Brian Fitzpatrick was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Biloxi Shuckers
• LHP Bryan Hudson was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers
• RHP Tobias Myers was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds
• OF Eddie Rosario signed a Minor League contract and was assigned to the Nashville Sounds

Final(s): 

Game 1: Nashville 11, Memphis (Cardinals) 0
Box Score / Game Log

Game 2: Nashville 5, Memphis (Cardinals) 0
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds website, please be sure to click and read each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine (believe me, it's worth it):

Sounds Sweep Twinbill with Back-to-Back Shutouts  - Seigler Stars in 2B and C Role Extending Hit Streak

RHP Aaron Civale managed to pitch a scoreless 5.0 IP rehab outing in his second since being sent to the Sounds. He maxed at 93.5 mph and he induced four ground balls in 14 batted balls total. Will the Brewers ask that he continue to ramp up? Unknown at this time. All told, he put forth 5.0 IP of 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 R work. He threw 40 strikes after 60 total pitches. I don't know about you but that feels like a "He's still ramping up." outing. LHP DL Hall led things off in game two in his quest to earn a spot in the Brewers bullpen (apparently). He managed a 2 2/3 IP outing allowing 1 H, 3 BB, 1 K, and 0 R. Hall threw 49 pitches with 30 strikes. This doesn't exactly scream three free passes but Hall is no stranger to walking a few batters throughout his outings. All your deeper statcast data can be found over at Baseball Savant HERE. Feel free to dig deeper.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) C/2B Anthony Seigler continues to come on and add an extremely intriguing run of play at both second base and the catcher position. He's really doing it all during his ongoing 10 game hitting streak. Hitting for power, playing solid defense, hitting for average, stealing bases. Considering where he started this season, it's absurdly impressive. He's added 78 points to his batting average in just two weeks in May. He led off both contests and played second base and catcher in the process during back-to-back shutouts. His combined output at the dish? 5-for-7, 4 R, 6 RBI, 2 HR, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB. He was a double shy of the cycle in the opening tilt. Keep an eye on this young man. He may not be on your radar but he is very much on a literal tear. Do you think he's feeling confident?

2) The return of 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. continues to pay its expected dividends across the field and in the batters box. He's back to providing that mammoth frame and sweet easy play at first base. He's also back hitting 110 mph plus knocks at the dish. Today's output in a dual game role in the clean up spot did not disappoint: 3-for-6, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 3B. I continue to beam with joy as I watch him become a more complete and consistent player with each passing week. I mean this very literally. The journey has been and continues to be the reward here. EMJ continues to be an annual favorite. 

3) OF Adam Hall may have seen the recent writing on the wall with the acquisitions of INF/OF Bobby Dalbec and OF Eddie Rosario added to the Sounds outfield mix. He has taken to the age old sports adage of 'iron sharpens iron' by meeting this current early season moment with professional aplomb. He just continues to get better and make a case for consistent appearances on Rick Sweet's line up cards. Hall played a solid center field in both contests and put forth a combined 5-for-7 with 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 K, and 1 SB batting in the lower half of the order. That's truly fine work. It was ugly early in April. Truly. However, he's found his footing and is beginning to contribute on a regular basis.

Final: Montgomery (Rays) 7,  Biloxi 4

Warren Ties Career-High with 4 Hits, Wilken Makes History in Shuckers Loss - Wilken Becomes First Player in Shuckers History to hit 10 HR in 35 Games; 2nd Southern League Player Since 2012

Box Score / Game Log

Game Notes

RHP Coleman Crow continues to give me RHP Logan Henderson vibes. They have similar builds. They have similar abilities to fool with their respective off-speed offerings. Crow's heater also sneaks up on foes with late zone movement. It isn't quite the caliber of high rising four-seamer Henderson has but it is a very worthy pitch. We're still dealing with capped pitch counts here given Crow's injury history but with each successive outing I'm personally developing more confidence in his projections and abilities. Tonight's 4 1/3 IP of 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 ER work came down to a single and a triple and a tiring arm. Then it came down to RHP Abdiel Mendoza's inability to limit further damage. Crow is trending up. Mendoza? Let's just say his season has been an ongoing adventure of highly erratic performance and results. The game got away from him in his third inning of work but this was after LF Bladimir Restituyo lost a fly ball in the lights and it fell for a 'single' loading the bases. It was a cruel fate. But, Mendoza also continues to struggle with too many runners aboard his innings of work.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) 1B/3B (he spelled DH Brock Wilken at the hot corner tonight - more below) lead-off specialist Luke Adams continues to mash for power atop the batting order. Tonight he ripped an absolute moon shot off the top of the left field scoreboard to push the Shuckers early lead to 3-0.

I think it's quite fair to say Adams is getting more and more comfortable facing the stiff up-level in Southern League competition. After the Shuckers lost the lead in the bottom of the fifth, Adams then took a two down free pass in the top of the sixth frame. The Shuckers didn't capitalize but it further exemplified the multi-faceted danger Adams offers atop the batting order.

2) Nearly every opportunity C Ramón Rodríguez receives he makes a distinct impact on the game. Tonight was no different. Seeing his first live game action since Saturday May 10th, Rodríguez responded with a 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB performance. I will politely continue to insist he is deserving of more consistent PA's given he is also an extremely competent backstop. 

3) DH Brock Wilken. 3B Brock Wilken. It just does not matter. This version of Brock Wilken is the version we dreamed about after just one game at High-A Wisconsin back in the summer of 2023. I think it is very very fair to say: last year's HBP was maybe a little more impactful than any of us could possibly understand. This is a heater of heaters, folks. A trance state of power hitting. 

We did not get the end result we craved for the previously red hot Shuckers team. But, we are certainly seeing a string of absolutely crucial results for the potential future of the Milwaukee Brewers hot corner. It is officially time to be excited.

*Special Shoutout: INF/OF Zavier Warren continues his early season impact with a 4-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 2B evening.  In a season of streaky throughout the Shuckers roster, Warren has been a steady and consistent force throughout. It's a true testament to the 26-year-old former third rounder's veteran grit. He is playing the best ball of his career at present and I am absolutely here for it.

With the rare loss (of late), the shuckers fell to 21-14 overall. They remain 1.0 G ahead of second place Pensacola (Marlins) while maintaining a 1.5 G lead over third place Montgomery. The remainder of this series continues to hold early season importance.

Final: Beloit (Marlins) 12, Wisconsin 7

Sky Carp Fly Past Rattlers  - Beloit Plates Six in the First to Set the Tone

Box Score / Game Log

Game Notes

The young Timber Rattler pitching woes continue and the issues are widespread. throughout the vast majority of the pitching staff Thankfully, veteran RHP's Aaron Rund and Zach Peek have settled in as of late and are providing some semblance of leadership within the bullpen. RHP Patricio Aquino was asked to fill in as a starter (as he has done many times in his young career) after two successful multiple inning saves of late. It did not go well. He lasted a mere 2/3 IP allowing 4 H, 1 BB, and 5 ER over 35 pitches. He threw 17 strikes. The Timber Rattlers have lost two straight to open their home series and have been outscored a whopping 29-10 in the process. Woof.

Post-Game(s) Podcast:

Full Video Highlights:

Feel free to browse through that box score to find deeper meaning and interesting individual performances - they do exist...such as XBH's from Blake Burke, Matt Wood, and Jadher Areinamo (4th HR of 2025). Having watched the young T-Rats struggle as of late it's hard to put any more lipstick on their current run of play. They are simply not playing cohesive baseball and recent final scores are more than indicative of this. The Timber Rattlers fell to 14-21 on their young season. They remain in fourth place in the Midwest League West division.

Final: Carolina 8, Fayetteville (Astros) 5 - F/8 Innings due to Rain 

Late Longball Lifts Mudcats Past Fayetteville - Dinges Is Fast Becoming a Star

Box Score / Game Log

RHP Travis Smith gave his team 4.0 IP of 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 ER ball. It was enough to keep the Mudcats team within striking distance. But, when it comes to Smith in particular it is very fair to point out his May trend is not favorable. All the benchmarks have shifted into an unfavorable direction - 8.0 IP over 3 GS allowing 14 H, 7 ER, 5 BB, 9 K, while hitting one batter. That's good for an unsightly 0.424 BAA and a 2.38 WHIP. Despite the victory for the first place Mudcats (23-10), Smith will need to turn things around to maintain a spot in the current starting rotation.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) C Marco Dinges just won Minor League Player of the Month for the month of April. I mentioned several times during his brief injury absence the drop off in production from the backstop was stunningly palpable when he was not in the daily lineup. He's an absurdly gifted weapon from such a valuable position yet a position mostly known for its defensive importance. Anything added via the bat is typically seen as a bonus. With Dinges, we absolutely savor the current defensive growing curve as the bat is just ridiculously impactful. The defense is fine - he is improving with the framing and has a decent glove; he is very athletic laterally; the arm to second base is very much a work in progress. All this is to say, he absolutely showed out today: 3-for-5, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR, 1 2B, 1 K. His ability to reach high heat and anything high and outside and drive it with power to opposite fields is a ridiculously impressive skill. Here is his second bomb. Another oppo blast:

2) The healthy return of LHP Sam Garcia carries even more importance with the potential loss of LHP Caden Vire due to a throwing arm injury. Garcia adds two extremely dependable multiple inning lefties for manager Nick Stanley - LHP Bjorn Johnson being the other stalwart here - while also offering meaningful options in high-leverage late game situations. Today's 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 0 R performance held serve allowing both a comeback tie and ultimately a comeback victory. He picked up his third win in the process. He continues to be an underrated but very meaningful presence on this talented Mudcats team.

3) It isn't all roses in Zebulon. CF Braylon Payne is most definitely in the midst of his first prolonged slump of his very young career. With an 0-for-3, 1 BB, 3 K day at the dish he saw his May totals dip to 13 K in 39 PA. He has a 0.482 OPS on the month. He is hitting 0.200. The struggle is very real. This being said, it's important young players learn how to work their way out of inevitable struggles like this. We saw a similar struggle in a significant portion of April for super-talented 1B Eric Bitonti. Baseball is most definitely not a linear game. For a player as athletically gifted as Payne, this is fast becoming his first real professional baseball test. How will he respond during the second half of this second month? Stay tuned.

The ACL Brewers will be back gracing our computer screens tomorrow evening. I know many of us eagerly await over analyzing another ACL Game Log. The force is strong in us. RHP Jacob Misiorowski will get the early nod for Nashville as he looks to build upon the best outing of his young career just one start ago. RHP Melvin Hernandez will try to make it two straight in Zebulon while RHP Bryan Rivera will try to make it three in a row grabbing the second game of the Mudcats doubleheader. RHP Alexander Cornielle will look to keep building for first place Biloxi and RHP Tyson Hardin will look to stop the bleeding for the Timber Rattlers.

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball.

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