Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/9): RHP Logan Henderson Returns with Ample Rust; RHP Cameron Wagoner Continues to Struggle Mightily

It was the highly-anticipated return of young RHP Logan Henderson. He made it through his outing unscathed and, more importantly, healthy but his location was sorely lacking. The Timber Rattlers continued their ongoing losing ways. Nashville came home in a big way. And, Biloxi was rained out in Rocket City. Let's get into the report!

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Game Balls: We're heading to Nashville and recognizing LHP Thomas Pannone's four innings of fine work. We're staying in Nashville and recognizing OF Monte Harrison who is finally rewarded with a long ball after rocking several balls in St. Paul in a fine evening at the dish and on the base paths. We're staying in Nashville again and honoring INF Andruw Monasterio extending his hitting streak to seven games with a fine evening at the plate and in the field. We're staying in, you guessed it, Nashville and honoring LF Keston Hiura's solid evening - it's becoming routine for the talented hitter. And, we're closing the honors in Zebulon recognizing RHP Miguel Guerrero's continued excellent work with inherited runners escaping an early jam and helping keep his stablemate, RHP Logan Henderson, clean on the earned run sheet.

Transactions:

RHP Logan Henderson was assigned to the Carolina Mudcats from the ACL Brewers Blue
LHP Jakob Brustoski was released by the Carolina Mudcats
RHP Fernando Olguin was released by the Carolina Mudcats
OF/1B Yeison Perez, OF Duncan Garcia, and INF Angel Pereira were transferred to Extended Spring Training from the DSL Brewers.
1B/C Tayden Hall was activated by Low-A Carolina from the 7-day injured list
LHP Bennett Sousa was optioned to AAA Nashville from the Milwaukee Brewers
RHP Luis Contreras was assigned to AA Biloxi from AAA Nashville
RHP Gus Varland was activated by the Milwaukee Brewers from his rehab stint at AAA Nashville
LHP Darrell Thompson was assigned to the Nashville Sounds from the Biloxi Shuckers

Highlights from the Week that Was:

There are many wonderful tidbits on the Brewers Player Development twitter feed at present covering several of the promising ongoing Brewers prospects work of late. Of particular note: RHP Harold Chirinos' ongoing fantastic form out of the Shuckers bullpen; Shuckers OF Carlos Rodriguez's running on-base streak; a highlight of a fully laid out Shuckers OF Noah Campbell diving to prevent an extra bases knock in deep right field; LHP Nate Peterson's fine form in Carolina etc. Please, check in on these tidbits.

Here we will highlight two Mudcats pitching performances this past week and Shuckers catching phenom, Jeferson Quero:

2022 5th round pick, RHP Will Rudy (Cal Poly Polmona), debuted for Carolina during last week's Delmarva series. He was quite impressive in his debut outing and, at first look at least, it would appear Brewers fans should be excited about some truly wonderful arm action:

We're always checking in on RHP Jacob Misiorowski and his fantastic flame thrower of an arm. He had his best and longest outing of his young 2023 season versus Delmarva this past week. Simply put, it was glorious. When he is bringing that 101-102 mph heat, that mid-80's curveball is awfully unfair:

Lastly, we have C Jeferson Quero putting on his full display of talents versus Montgomery. Incredible pop time with a cannon of an arm. and a 108 mph home run rocket. What's not to love when this young man is behind the dish?

Final: Nashville 11, Gwinnett (Braves) 3
Box Score / Game Log

Game Notes

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

Sounds Clobber Gwinnett to Open Series

Just when you think you've seen it all on a baseball diamond, a first base umpire jogs directly in front of a perfect Cam Devanney dart to 1B Jon Singleton extending LHP Thomas Pannone's bad luck first inning. I've never seen such a ridiculous move by a first base umpire. Truly. The ump just nonchalantly jogged directly in front of the bag and directly into the path of Devanney's gorgeous rocket. The ball consequently caromed off his hip and to the pitchers mound.

Manager Rick Sweet was, shall we say, not all that thrilled. To this, I can attest. Aside from a bad luck parachute bloop rbi single, Pannone responded to this umpire misfortune with aplomb: he struck out his final batter and escaped only trailing 1-0. Pannone continued to throw wonderfully through the remainder of his outing. When all was said and done, he went 4 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 ER.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) INF Andruw Monasterio extended his hitting streak to seven games with a seeing-eye two-rbi grounder through the left side and into the shallow left field grass. After some early season jitters in the field and at the plate, it would certainly appear Monasterio has found his comfort. He's playing quite a bit better defense as well - a very refreshing surprise - as he made several solid throws and scoops throughout the contest.

2) The Sounds went back-to-back long balls in back-to-back games. Yeah baby! Let's take a look at the early lead reclamation project off of 1B Jon Singleton's and LF Keston Hiura's bats. This was the karma LHP Thomas Pannone deserved from the baseball gods after his bad luck first frame:

3) When your line-up produces 14 hits there is plenty of things to talk about - just take a peak at that box score. However, I'm going to briefly discuss the end of RHP Pedro Fernandez's outing. I don't think I've seen him that that hard this entire season. He seemed to lose control of his off-speed pitches as he gave up back-to-back jacks on what appeared by my naked eyes to be mistake batting practice change-ups. Even though he escaped the inning, he did so off an extremely well-hit line drive off another off-speed hanger. INF Cam Devanney savvily swiped the ball out of the smoking hot air. Fernandez looked quite unpleased heading to the dugout and for good reason. Hopefully, this was just a moment and nothing more. I'll be paying attention to his next outings to see if there are any lingering effects.

There was apparently an early bout of rain in Rocket City and, as a result, a postponement. Biloxi will play a scheduled doubleheader on Thursday:

Final: South Bend (Cubs) 10, Wisconsin 1
Box Score / Game Log

Game Notes

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

Cubs Ambush Wisconsin with Seven Run First Inning

Take a Look: T-Rat Talk with Alex Hall

I really don't know what to tell you about the ongoing struggles in the Timber Rattlers clubhouse. It's getting to absurd levels where manager Joe Ayrault may need to consider a witch doctor. No Timber Rattler is more snake bitten at present than massively struggling RHP Cameron Wagoner. And, unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's getting better any time soon - hopefully he is afforded a Development List stint and, if we're lucky, a reboot. Here's how it's going for the young hurler. With two down and a man on first base via a ground ball single, Wagoner proceeded to walk a batter; hit two batters; give up a bases clearing double; give up a two-run home run; and leave the game after giving up a triple. Yikes is the word. This all came after a full count walk with two down. When all was said and done, Wagoner was credited with seven earned runs in a mere 2/3 IP.

Take Your Base:

There's just not all that much to highlight here. The T-Rats are simply put: epically struggling. They're losing close games. They're losing by large margins. Their bats, overall, continue to be mostly silent. They are suffering from miscues at inopportune moments. When they get a good start and continued solid bullpen work - and make no mistake their bullpen continues to be a plus - they struggle mightily to get a key hit or score or capitalize on RISP. It's a proverbial cocktail of misfortune and self-induced harm (for lack of a better word). The only way to turn the tides is to play better. Full stop. It starts with the coveted prospects. It ends with better fundamental baseball and, hopefully, better starting pitching overall. As alluded to above, a seven run first inning deficit does very little to help a turn toward winning avenues. The young Timber Rattlers currently look every part of their 8-19 record.

Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 4, Carolina 3
Box Score / Game Log

Game Notes

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

Late Rally Not Enough in 4-3 Loss to FredNats

RHP Logan Henderson scuffled in his return outing. His 26-pitch first inning included a two out single, a wild pitch, a walk, and another walk to load the bases. Thankfully, he induced a 3-1 count got weak chopper to 3B Jadher Areinamo who made a fine charging play to grab the runner at first base. It didn't get any better for Henderson as he threw 20 more pitches in the second frame before departing with runners on first and second base by way of, well, two more walks. Simply put: he was missing the zone in a variety of ways. He'll look to sharpen his tools before his next outing.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) After a red hot start to his 2023 season, INF/OF Luke Adams has hit the doldrums of a mini-slump. After popping out weakly to the mound in the third inning he extended a 2-for-22 run of choppy waters at the dish. He ended his night 0-for-3 at the dish but he did show continued discipline laying off pitches high and outside the zone grabbing a key walk. Adams will continue to grind to find that power and launch angle of the earlier part of the season.

2) Though RHP Tyler Wehrle scuffled in his first two innings - ultimately, allowing four hard-hit runs in his second inning of work - the Mudcats certainly had their chances to make the comeback. They managed a single rbi via a walk with the bases juiced in the sixth inning and they had the tying runner on second base in the ninth inning as the rains were pouring down. OF Luis Lara hit a weak chopper to the pitcher down the first base line and any threat of a tie or a comeback walk-off victory were over. The young Mudcats stranded seven baserunners from the 5th-through-7th innings.

3) C Matt Wood and INF Daniel Guilarte both extended their on-base streaks to 20 and 24 games, respectively. Neither grabbed a hit but they both reached base via a casual walk down the first base line and Wood even grabbed that elusive bases loaded free pass rbi. Wood, in particular, continues to look like an inevitable promotional candidate: 22 BB to 14 K with his peripherals is absolutely nothing to sneeze at. He continues to manage the game solidly as well. Regardless, both young men have played a significant part of Carolina's early-season success despite tonight's loss.

The young T-Rats will need a bounce back outing tomorrow evening from RHP Stiven Cruz. Nashville will have typically dependable RHP Janson Junk on the mound as they look to take the 2-0 series lead versus Gwinnett. Carolina will see if they can get more shutdown innings from young RHP Patricio Aquino. And, Biloxi will hope to get a mid day matinee affair going in Rocket City where we'll have the opportunity to watch young Shuckers Ace, RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez coming off his most recent and dominant 10 K start. As always, thank you for reading and thank you for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball.

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Joseph Zarr has loved following the Brewers since he turned 4 years old during their World Series run in the 1982 season. Growing up just outside Milwaukee, WI he called the state of Wisconsin his home until he left for higher learning at the age of 18. You will not find him on Social Media, a true rarity these days, but you can find him discussing topics here on Brewer Fanatic and, if you're feeling adventurous, in the fields and forests on his farm in Eastern Washington near the Idaho border north of Spokane.