Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/22): Safe to Say This Tyson Hardin Cat is Pretty Good

Transactions:

• Milwaukee Brewers recalled RHP Carlos Rodriguez from Nashville Sounds
• Milwaukee Brewers optioned RHP Easton McGee to Nashville Sounds
   

Final: Nashville 7, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) 6, 11 innings
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:

Eddie Rosario Delivers Extra-Innings Walk-Off Win for Nashville - Sounds Complete Five-Run Comeback to Down Rail Riders

Fun win for the now 30-18 Sounds and their home fans who didn't bail after the 7th inning stretch down 6-1.

All nine Nashville hits were singles, although Eddie Rosario's game-winner would have been anything but a single in any other circumstance. Rosario had been 0-for-5 up until this at-bat:

We raised a couple of eyebrows for this contest. Anthony Seigler back in the lineup as the designated hitter? Hello there, didn't you dislocate a finger a few nights ago? Have to love the human body sometimes. We'll anxiously await a return to the 3rd base experiment.

As for the other eyebrow, whoa, Bryan Hudson, where did you find this? Technically, it was 94.5 MPH on the four-seamer on this night, but we'll allow the round-up:

Just tremendous relief work from Ryan Middendorf, Vinny Nittoli, and Garrett Stallings over the final four innings, especially by the latter two dealing with the Manfred Man.

Key 2025 contributor CF Jared Oliva last played on May 11th, no IL stint.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 2, Knoxville (Cubs) 1
Box Score and Game Log

Catch up with the latest Biloxi pre-game audio interview archives

Wichrowski Strikes Out Six, Boeve Drives in Both Runs in 2-1 Shuckers Win - Boeve records both hits, Shuckers extend South Division lead to 2.0 games

Yes, the Shuckers won despite just two Mike Boeve singles, though the team drew seven walks, including three to Brock Wilken and his now-.416 OBP. Luke Adams also drew a free pass, and additionally reached base via HBP, his 10th of the season. For those that felt the plunkings weren't a sustainable aspect of Adams' game, perhaps think again.

All four hurlers deserve our attention from that box score you just perused (and the linked Tyler Bryant audio interview), and we thank the Voice of the Shuckers for the additional insight here:

Cooper Pratt last played Sunday, thus missing the first three games of this series. One might suggest, well why don't we just reach out to Javik Blake for an update? The point is, unless any absence is clearly related to an on-field injury, we learned long ago it's not fair to ask the various team broadcasters to comment. It's simply not their place to do so. Wisconsin's Chris Mehring has worked questions to Manager Victor Estevez about sidelined players into his podcast interviews, which has been helpful. Biloxi skipper Joe Ayrault will be interviewed prior to Friday's game, we'll see if we can learn something then.

Note: It's quite possible Javik made note of the nature of Pratt's absence during a game broadcast this week, but as much as we'd like to, it's not always possible listen to every moment of all the broadcasts across the system.

Look for more via Biloxi's "X" feed for this home game.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes (download link)
Final: Wisconsin 5, South Bend (Cubs) 2
Box Score and Game Log

Hardin Shows His Quality…Again - Rattler starter strikes out eight, allows one run over six innings, picks up win

Sure, it's a lot more important to be in first place in the NL Central (congrats for now, Craig), but let's see how the Cubs' affiliates are performing, particularly at the lower levels:

• AAA Iowa 25-10
• AA Knoxville 20-20
• High-A South Bend 10-32
• Low-A Myrtle Beach 16-25
• Rookie ACL 1-13

Goodness gracious Tyson Hardin.

Asking for a friend, is a 48K-to-4BB ratio good? No HBP's either, by the way. How about the 1.21 ERA and 0.87 WHIP through eight starts?

Thanks to our own Spencer, there's more video from this road game on his "X" timeline, including important defensive plays via Marco Dinges, Blake Burke (twice) and Hardin himself.

Sixteen baserunners for the T-Rats here, and that includes all nine in the lineup. 

Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 5, Carolina 4
Box Score and Game Log

Fredericksburg Rallies Past Mudcats

Despite their impressive 26-14 record, don't write down in ink a first-half division title for the Mudcats just yet. Their lead is down to two games over Lynchburg (Guardians). Surely other league affiliates have their share of absences, but the Carolina trio of Josh Adamczewski, Luis Pena (the only one officially on the IL), and Braylon Payne is, sorry, but "Payne-ful".

21-year-old RHP Jack Hostetler, he of plenty of pre-season buzz even before his pro debut, returned for two innings after a five-week absence (32 pitches). Acting as a bulk reliever, still 18-year-old (yes, we're legally obligated to type "still 18-year-old" until July 3rd) RHP Melvin Hernandez wasn't particularly sharp, walking three in five frames with nary a K. Prior to this start, Hernandez had fanned 30 in 34 innings. The new ratio of 30-in-39 tells a bit of a story, but so, so, young.

You'll see a couple of Hernandez pitches among a varied selection of game action highlights at the FredNats' "X" feed.

Catcher Eric Martinez had three errors on the night, the costliest a throwing error in the 4th on what the game log likely tells us was a topper in front of the plate. Martinez' miscue led to the lone unearned run on Hernandez' ledger. To be fair, one of the Carolina runs was unearned as well.

Jesus Made reached base four times (two singles, two walks). Made was 1-for-2 on the basepaths, now 15-for-19 on the season.

Definitely a fan of the wordplay from the Carolina social team regarding the Jesus-Filippo offensive combination.

Final: ACL Brewers 6, ACL Rangers 2
Box Score and Game Log

A tidy two hours and seven minutes with a gametime temp of 102.

Fourteen A-Crew baserunners, including one who could take his time upon making contact:

Top 2024 bonus baby Jorge Quintana singled twice but also had an out on the basepaths. I do understand the box score designation of how the top of the 6th ended, but it always leads me to believe this was two different plays, which could have been the case, but wasn't here:

• CS: Quintana (2, 2nd base by Arias, J/Baquera).
• PO: Quintana (1st base by Arias, J).

Quintana is going to have to improve in this regard beyond his 66.6% rate over his pro career, now 26-for-39 in SB attempts.

Hello again, corner infielder and won't be 19 years old until January Frederi Montero. He's played in 13 of the 12-3 Maryvale team's 15 games, and is now at .463/.542/.585, well beyond the .660 OPS posted in 51 DSL games in 2024. A LH bat listed at 6'2", 188, which was likely his vitals on his signing date, Montero's $300,000 bonus looks like a bargain at the moment. So far, 44 games at first base, 20 at the hot corner, including six this season.

Thank you, @sveumrules for this info via our nightly forum thread:

Here are the K/BB ratios (& ages) for the eleven Zona Crew pitchers with at least 5 IP…

Renz (18)
15 IP | 13 K | 3 BB

Dubanewicz (19)
13 IP | 14 K | 4 BB

Dorchies (18)
12 IP | 19 K | 3 BB

Mercedes (18)
10.1 IP | 18 K | 4 BB

King (19)
10.1 IP | 8 K | 3 BB

Mercado (18)
10 IP | 13 K | 2 BB

Tobias (19)
8 IP | 9 K | 0 BB

Carra (18)
7 IP | 9 K | 1 BB

Quezada (21)
6.2 IP | 9 K | 2 BB

Aparicio (19)
6 IP | 7 K | 3 BB

Meneses (20)
5.1 IP | 8 K | 2 BB

"Obviously still dealing in early season small sample territory, but pretty impressive stuff from a group of predominantly teenage hurlers to open the year."

The Brewers (see last night's starter Tyler Renz) are cornering the market on identifying mid-to-late round high school pitchers willing to accept above-slot deals and forego college commitments. It's one thing to target such arms, but to consistently see immediate strong results is fantastic.

As for 19-year-old Dominican native Wenderlyn King, his two-year K-to-BB now sits at 51-to-9 in 48 pro innings. Not quite Tyson Hardin-esque (especially with nine HBP's), but impressive nonetheless.

The Mudcats play two games Friday, with the first kicking off at 4:05 CT for those anxious for action. I'll be back in both my Saturday and Sunday AM slots for you. Enjoy the kickoff to the Memorial Day weekend, everyone.

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

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