Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/17): Carlos Rodriguez and Tate Kuehner Stifle Opposition in Two-Win Saturday

Carlos Rodriguez and Tate Kuehner had terrific outings in victories for Nashville and Biloxi. Ryan Birchard had a solid performance in Wisconsin’s close loss. Carolina ran out of pitchers, but Luis Pena had a blast.

Transactions:

• RHP Yeferson Tales released by DSL Brewers Gold

Game Action:

Final: Nashville 4, Memphis 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 Back in the Win Column, Win Third Straight Series

23-year old starting RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 4 Ks in 68 pitches) delivered yet again, as Nashville improved to 27-17 on the season, despite producing just 4 hits on the road.

Employing his usual toolbox approach (19 four-seamers, 17 change ups, 15 cutters, 12 sliders, 4 curve balls, 1 sinker), Rodriguez kept the Redbirds off balance through 4 scoreless innings (1 single, 1 walk) before a tricky 5th inning saw four Redbirds reach base. Leading 2-1 with 2-on against the dangerous Luken Baker, Rodriguez surprised him with a high fastball (93.6mph) to get the strike out looking.

Three of the Sounds’ four hits went for extra bases, including OF Jimmy Herron’s 2-run shot in the top of the 5th inning and recent signee OF Eddie Rosario’s 423-foot, 2-run blast the following inning to make the game more comfortable at 4-1.

LHPs Tyler Jay and rehabbing Aaron Ashby retired 9 of 10 batters faced, 4 via strikeout, with Ashby (2 grounds outs, 1 K) alternating between 93-97mph heat and 79-82mph curves and sinkers.

Sounds’ Extras:

• Two full count walks were a tough way for RHP Jesus Liranzo to commence the 9th inning, with old friend Andy Yerzy doubling both runners home with 1 out to narrow the lead to 4-3.
• However, C Nick Kahle guided Liranzo through the threat, garnering a strikeout looking on a high 95.6mph fastball (which survived a video review challenge), then a final strikeout swinging on an 88.9mph change-up below the zone.

Sunday’s outlook: RHP Deivi Garcia (4.34 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 8.1 K/9 in 29 IP) threw 20 pitches on Tuesday (1 IP, 0 R, 2 Ks), so should be relatively fresh for his start, with Nashville aiming to polish off a 5-1 road series victory.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 6, Montgomery 3
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Kuehner, Shuckers Flirt with No-Hitter in 6-3 Win over Biscuits

It seems the Brewers’ 2024 Undaunted mantra has shifted over to Biloxi for the 2025 campaign, as they set aside injuries to stifle Montgomery on the road and grab a 3-2 series advantage.

LHP Tate Kuehner’s day started with a first-pitch HBP, then 2 full count walks, but he caught a runner heading early for 3rd base, then retired 15 consecutive Biscuits in his best outing of 2025: 5 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 5 Ks.

Similar to their AAA brethren, the Shuckers made their hits count, with 4 of their 6 knocks going for extra bases, starting with back-to-back 4th inning doubles from DH Mike Boeve and SS Cooper Pratt (1-for-4, double, RBI, run).

Zavier Warren (1-for-3, .901 season OPS), who had to shift to 1st base after Luke Adams was a pre-game scratch, continued his terrific 2025 campaign with his 7th homer, this one coming with 2-down in a 1-2 count in the top of the 8th inning.

Shuckers’ Extras:

• RHP Stiven Cruz (1.2 IP, 3 R, 3 Ks) retired the first 5 batters he faced before some 8th inning difficulties and RHP Bo Bowman (2 IP, 0 R, 2 Ks) did well to retire the final 5 Biscuits.
• The bench was already looking thin after C Ramon Rodriguez’s Saturday injury, so the team can ill afford for Adams to be out as well. Will we see Jeferson Quero in Biloxi on Tuesday?
• OFs Garrett Spain and Bladimir Restituyo combined on a 3-for-7 evening with 2 RBIs.

Sunday’s outlook: RHP KC Hunt is expected to make his second start of the week (4 IP, 2 R, 4 Ks in 79 pitches on Tuesday), with Biloxi looking to clinch a 4-2 road series victory with a win in the series finale.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Beloit 4, Wisconsin 3
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Sky Carp Strike Back to Beat Rattlers

Despite the defeat, the Wisconsin media team has still put together plenty of video highlights for our viewing pleasure:

And we’re also blessed with an 11-minute Mehring/Lobner postgame podcast, featuring Manager Victor Estevez.

The Wisconsin staff recorded 11 strikeouts and only conceded 5 hits, but 8 walks and 3 hit-by-pitches ultimately cost them, especially in that 2-run 7th inning. Starting RHP Ryan Birchard’s 89 pitches (4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 4 BB, 1 HBP) were a career high and 7 strikeouts tied his highest single game total.

SS Jadher Areinamo is a special defensive player who always gives his all, saving a run here to end the 5th inning, then later being charged with an error as he leaped over the incoming baserunner to nearly complete a ground ball double play in the 7th inning.

More than anything, I’d think that Areinamo will regret over-running first base as Wisconsin was trying to rally in the bottom of the 7th. The two teams combined on a 2-for-22 day with runners in scoring position, so every play and call was magnified in front of 3,212 home fans.

Timber Rattlers’ Extras:

• Kudos to RHP Yerlin Rodriguez (1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 K) for stranding an inherited runner and retiring all 4 batters he faced and to RHP Zach Peek (1 IP, 0 R, 1 K) for working around a leadoff 9th inning double (line out, K, ground out).
• With Peek and Tanner Shears (1.45 ERA in 2023, with 77 Ks in 49 2/3 IP), Wisconsin now has two extremely talented pitchers building themselves back up after long injury absences. I’m sure they’re also happy to have RHP Aidan Maldonado (2/3 IP, 2 R) back after the 24-year old missed 3 weeks.
• Even in his 7th Minor League season, INF/OF Eduardo Garcia (1-for-4, SB, 2 runs) and the Brewers continue to take his development seriously, as you heard in Friday’s podcast and saw in today’s video highlights. In this contest, he did very well to manufacture a run to tie the contest in the 4th inning.
• DH/1B Blake Burke (2-for-5) continues to impress with the bat, boosting his season average to .291 and OPS to .834 on the back of a single and RBI double. 1B Tayden Hall also had a nice day at the plate with a single and 2 walks.

Sunday’s outlook: 24-year old RHP Tanner Gillis (1.32 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 9.2 K/9 in 27.1 IP with Carolina) is set for his High-A debut after a recent promotion, with Wisconsin needing a home victory to salvage a 3-3 series draw.

Final: Fayetteville 18, Carolina 6
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details: Mudcats Fall to Fayetteville

By the 2nd inning, keen observers in the BrewerFanatic Daily Forum were already aware that Carolina was going to run out of pitchers in this contest.

20-year LHP Wande Torres provided his customary 63 pitches (one short of career high), but it only covered 2 1/3 innings as 10 of 17 batters reached base (6 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 2 Ks), exiting down 6-0.

RHP Miles Langhorne conceded a full count walk and grand slam to his first two batters to safely determine the outcome for 4,978 home fans and allowed the first 4 Woodpeckers to reach base in the 4th inning (down 12-2 at that point), but he did manage to register 7 strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings (7 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP). His 73 pitches far exceeded his prior high of 55.

On the positive side, 3B Luis Pena was the Mudcats’ offensive star, delivering a 3-run homer as part of a 3-for-5 day which also saw him steal his 21st base. When did 18-year old’s get so strong?

Continuing the earlier theme, LHP Anfernny Reyes (1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 Ks) allowed the first 4 Fayetteville batters to reach base in the 7th inning, ultimately pushing the deficit to 15-6 but thankfully finishing the frame.

All of the above conspired to give fans 2 innings of INF/OF Luis Lameda on the mound. No, he is not a candidate to be a 2-way player.

Mudcats’ Extras:

• Would things have been different if Carolina had cashed in on SS Jesus Made’s (1-for-4, walk) leadoff double in the bottom of the 1st inning? It seems unlikely, but it was 8-0 by the time he came to the plate again, walking and scoring in the 3rd inning.
• DH Marco Dinges had a 2-for-4 contest with 2 stolen bases, and 1B Eric Bitonti had a single, walk and sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, the offense went 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Sunday’s outlook: RHP Chandler Welch is scheduled to make his second start of the week (4 IP, 3 R, 2 Ks in 85 pitches on Tuesday with Wisconsin), as Carolina needs a home win to capture the series and avoid a 3-game losing streak.

Final: ACL Royals 8, ACL Brewers 4
Box Score and Game Log

After failing to cash in leadoff singles in the 1st (DH Tyler Black single) and 2nd innings (SS Kevin Ereu single), our Arizona Crew found themselves down 5-0 by the 4th inning, with 19-year old RHP Griffin Tobias struggling in his second start (4 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 3 Ks).

But OF Jadyn Fielder sparked the offense with a single to lead off the 5th inning, followed later by 2B Roderick Flores’ first stateside hit (RBI double in his first start) and a 2-run triple from Black (2-for-3, walk – send him to Nashville please). The 4-run inning was nearly more, as baserunners were stranded at 2nd and 3rd.

With 21-year old RHP Joshua Quezada making quick work of the Royals (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks), the team’s next big opportunity came with a 3B Gery Holguin single and Black’s walk to start the bottom of the 7th inning, but big bashers C Jeferson Quero and OF Jose Anderson weren’t able to bring home the game-tying run. Having two players picked off base in the game didn’t help the cause.

18-year old RHP Carlos Carra (3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 4 Ks) faced the minimum number of batters in the 7th and 8th innings, but conceded a single, double and 3-run homer to start the 9th, essentially putting the game away.

Quero (0-for-4, RBI) had a fly out, 2 pop outs and reached on an infield error, while throwing out 1-of-3 attempted basestealers. Hopefully he’s healthy enough to bolster our upper minors catching ranks.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Sunday, Carolina gets us started at 12:00pm CST, with Nashville, Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Brewers all following at 1:05/1:10pm CST. Biloxi will close out the week for us with their 3:33pm CST start time.

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