Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/17): T-Rats Truly Impress in a Pure Win at West Michigan; Sounds Pound Cubs Behind Vaughn's Grand Slam

Sounds Begin Series with Shutout Win - Andrew Vaughn's First Nashville Hit is Grand

Box Score/Game Log

RHP Tobias Myers bounced back in a big way hurling 6.0 scoreless IP of 4 H, 2BB, 4K work. Now, was I overly impressed? I can't say that I was. The results are obviously much better. 93 total pitches with 58 strikes sticks out in a good way. Myers touched 96.6 mph but he mostly sat in that 91-94 mph range and averaged 92.8 mph on the heat. He mostly worked with the four-seamer and the slider (78 total pitches) and dropped in the change-up (10 pitches) and sprinkled in the curveball and cutter at three and two pitches apiece, respectively. I see a 25% whiff rate on 44 swings. And, well, what I saw was what I saw: a solid but unspectacular outing despite the results. I am purely looking from a "Will Tobias Myers help the Brewers in 2025?" vantage point. Yet to be determined.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) Box Score lookers will see C Jeferson Quero's 3-for-4 outing and rejoice. Yes, he hit a 98 mph double. Yes he had a broken bat RBI in a 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI outing. All good things. BUT, what I am going to point you to, actually, is the impressive work very nearly catching old Brewer 2B Hayden Cantrelle in a SB attempt off a 79 mph change-up. That stuck out in a very good way. It was much better pop. The throw was sound. It ended up a bang-bang play. I was highly highly impressed. That was the first play I've seen from Quero behind the dish where I thought he was getting closer to being 'back'. 

2) Not a bad 1-for-3, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB debut for one recently acquired Andrew Vaughn. The home run was about as impressive as they come in terms of 'see ball, smash ball'. The ball was coming very much up and in. Power wins. This is a 'Man's Long Ball':

With Wes Clarke apparently headed to other pastures, the high-end depth at 1B remains in very good hands amongst EMJ, Vaughn, and Dalbec. Oh, and Tyler Black. Yes, I guess we still play Tyler at 1B too. 

3) Like Quero's comments above, I can tell you: CF Garrett Mitchell's best hit ball in his 1-for-3, 2R, 1 BB evening was a fly out to deep left center field. It was a beautiful inside and out oppo swing. He executed a very nice hustle slide at home plate on his run scored. Mitchell had a planned seven inning rehab stint - he was not pulled for any other reason. His 101.2 mph line out was the seventh hardest hit ball on the evening. He is rounding into form.

Final: Biloxi 9, Knoxville (Cubs) 8

Shuckers Fall to Lookouts as Warren is Crowned New Home Run King - Mr. Utility Sets Franchise Record with 37th HR as Shucker

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

The Shuckers offense plated nine runs in game one last week at Chattanooga. They lost by one run. Tonight, they plate nine runs and won by one. LHP Tate Kuehner was not particularly sharp in his 4 2/3 IP of 10 H, 0 BB, 8 K, 4 ER, and 1 HR work. Then again, 8 K to zero free passes is commendable. It was a weird outing. Let's just put it at that. He threw 92 total pitches and 63 landed for strikes. This was the first time in his last seven starts he did not complete five innings. This was double the most hits he had surrendered in a start all season. As I said: it was a weird outing. Obviously, not all of these hits were pure but many were. He'll look to bounce back in outings ahead. It truly is a testament to his overall tools he managed to limit the damage to four runs.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) DH Brock Wilken has 18 long balls on June 17th. My word. Just as Javik was discussing his 17th, Wilken went yard:

He also tied ultra utility man Zavier Warren for the franchise record! Let us simply bask in a beautiful bounceback season for the power-hitting third baseman. Wilken also ripped a scorching double off the left field wall and it honestly may have been my favorite piece of base running I've ever seen. If you care to take a quick look at the salsa dancing Wilken beating a tag he had no business beating (out by at least six feet) take a look at the 2:41:35 mark on the MILB.tv replay. 

2) A couple of things happened on more than one occasion impacting RHP Ryan Middendorf's second outing since being re-assigned to the Shuckers. Firstly, the umpire missed two strikeout calls. They were strikes in the Gamecast. They were very much strikes in the game. He blew the calls. It negatively impacted the end results no doubt about it. Secondly, Darrien Miller was repeatedly mixed up with what he called and what Middendorf threw - at least that is certainly what it looked like from the live viewing. Miller dropped one clear strike three. He set up, and consequently had to reach back across his body, on the 'wrong' side of the plate for another missed strike three call. With two runners on and one out, Middendorf then gave up a ripped ball down the right field line for a two-rbi double. The Shuckers lost the lead late as a result (though they would obviously reclaim it). Nothing has been kind for Middendorf in 2025. It is very very much an ongoing struggle. It was another struggle tonight in his 1/3 IP of 3 H, 2 BB, 3 ER ball.

3) I could talk about Pratt and Boeve collecting five hits combined (Pratt with the go-ahead and game-winning sac fly), but being who I am I am going to point you to the much improved work of RHP Abdiel Mendoza. He gave his team 2.0 IP of 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 ER work. More than the end results, however, it was the work. His pitches are back to moving efficiently and with purpose. This was the version I very much saw in his debut start some two plus months ago. IF the Shuckers have this version of Mendoza moving forward he very much stabilizes the bulk innings in the bullpen. 

With the win and Montgomery's extra innings win, the Shuckers magic number is reduced to one game. They sit 39-25 on their season. Just an incredible mark after their poor start to the season.

Final: Wisconsin 10, West Michigan (Tigers) 2

Rattlers Crash Whitecaps 10-2 - DeBerry, Root, and Seppings Tame West Michigan

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

This was quite easily my favorite Timber Rattlers game of their season to date. A truly masterful performance. A performance very much worth your time to review on MiLB.TV replay I might add. RHP Jaron DeBerry saw two mistake sweepers to lefties pounced on early - one to the masterful hitting SS Kevin McGonigle. The other a scorched long ball over the right field wall to Whitecaps RF Austin Murr:

The game plan was expertly adjusted from there and DeBerry was masterful from that point on. 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 6 K. I came away extremely impressed by DeBerry - poise and precision are the words I will use. He is very very much trending up. I think the main takeaway from he, C Marco Dinges, and hopefully the entire pitching coaching staff after this one: DeBerry's change-up and his curveball are simply better offerings to lefties. There isn't all that much need to pound the sweeper early to the more unfavorable side of the dish.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) CF Yhoswar Garcia may have made the Brewers Minor League catch of the year in a sublime fully laid out grab in the deep right center field alley. The Timber Rattlers somehow don't have this grab on their twitter feed. The Tigers ML Report has us covered:

Garcia was phenomenal throughout in his 2-for-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B day at the park. He truly stood out in the best of ways. This was quite clearly his best game as a Timber Rattler. Is this a sign of things to come? We can only hope.

2) Hitting opposite field home runs as a right-handed batter is one of the more challenging things to execute at the West Michigan ballpark. It truly is a challenging feat. With muggy air and a slight breeze out to right field, C Marco Dinges dialed up another home run jack:

Dinges also managed to 'sneak' a double in to the deep part of the right field warning track. He skied it. The ball got caught up in the high gusts. And, with the right fielder stepping in it sailed deep into the dirt and one-hopped the wall. He continues to be a revelation in 2025. With his 2-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B, 1 HR day at the park he improved his High-A OPS to a team-leading 0.921. 

3) Not to be outdone, 2B Jadher Areinamo brought some flair of his own in a 2-for-5, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 1 K day at the West Michigan ballpark. In a tight 3-2 ball game, Jadher's long ball really set the tone:

It's great to hear announcer Chris Mehring experiencing the pure joy this T-Rats game produced. Careful now. Jadher is back to a 0.292 BA with an 0.831 OPS. The young man always finds a way.

Special Shout Out: This was a masterful game at third base from young Juan Baez. Truly. He played it with flare. He played it with pure smooth confidence. He scooped several early hard hit grounders with ease. He took three free passes (be still my heart!) in an 0-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB day at the dish. More of this please, young man!

Final:  Carolina 3, Columbia (Royals) 2

Mucdats Take Series Opener From Columbia - Dubanewicz Continues to Shine in Early Low-A Work

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

RHP Jayden Dubanewicz is far from a finished product but boy it is fun to dream on his wily 6'3" all legs, long frame and elongated extended delivery. Despite what lovely Mudcats announcer Chris Edwards tells us, I see a four pitch mix: a sinker, a four-seamer, a slider, and a change-up. He tossed 6.0 IP of 1 H, 1 BB, and 3 K work. He hasn't found the strikeout prevalent in his early Low-A innings but I continue to love his ability to induce weak contact. Not as many ground ball outs as his debut (7-to-6 ground out to fly out, respectively) but he is still managing to find the weak spots on the barrel quite consistently. There is so much projection to envision here for this long limbed 19-year-old. We likely won't see it in 2025, but I can't help but wonder what another full off-season of work in the Brewers pitching lab might accomplish with his velocity. Until then, I'll keep dreaming.

1) Hats off to the continued step up I am seeing from LHP Anferrny Reyes. He helped secure the game and the victory by stranding RHP Ethan Dorchies' (debut innings) runner at third base. What's more impressive? He did it in three consecutive pitches. 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K to get his second Save of 2025. After a disastrous May, Reyes has been tremendous in June: 7 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R (0 earned), 2 BB, 9 K, 1 SV, 1 SVO. He has a 0.179 BAA and 0.91 WHIP in the same month. The Mudcats had been scuffling. BUT, it was certainly no fault of Reyes' work.

2) These were the best at bats I have seen from CF Braylon Payne in over two weeks. Hallelujah! His swing choices were sound. His swings, for the most part, were pure. This was the player I was dreaming on back in April. My how baseball plays silly games with we fans! 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 3B. Can we see more of these easy breezy pure power disciplined AB's, young man? That would sure do us all a lot of good. More importantly, it would get Payne's season back on track.

3) SS Luis Peña very much showed us his shortstop work is a work in progress. Two fielding errors on the evening and both were the result of misplays on slow rollers - the first error far more eye-opening than the second. He now has nine errors on his first half. As he moves around the infield to accrue experience and exposure, the Brewers will roll with the punches. The bat is absurdly pure - as upside-laden as it gets for a player of his size and build. Perhaps a positive takeaway I can add here is: this is the first game all season where his defensive work stood out in a negative way. 

Final: ACL Reds 3, ACL Brewers 2
Box Score/Game Log

The ACL Brewers mini tailspin continues with yet another walk-off loss. My goodness. It's been a truly tough spell of late. This being said, I personally venture to: RHP Hayden Robinson was touching 94.8 mph in his 1.0 IP of 1 H, 1 BB, and 1 K work. Knowing the caliber of his breaking ball arsenal and his spin heavy repertoire that type of post-TJ heat is truly tantalizing. We see CF Handelfry Encarnacion smacked a wily 113 mph double (whoa!) in a 2-for-3, 1 K outing. He was pulled late, however. In his second game back from an 11 day absence this certainly gives us pause. DH Blake Perkins led off and manage a 1-for-3 (96 mph single), 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K evening. This was a tough blow for RHP Griffin Tobias who was, yet again, asked to fill that major inning eater. 5.0 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 3 ER. He takes the loss and is 0-3 on his season. He has a 1.44 WHIP on his season. AND, yet, that was indeed his first free pass in 26 1/3 IP overall. He is unafraid to pound the zone. He has surrendered 37 hits. A work in progress but I suspect there is an interesting set of tools to work with here. With the loss, the ACL Crew have fallen to 18-16 overall. It feels like just yesterday they were 10 games over 0.500.

Final: DSL Brewers Blue 4, DSL Brewers Gold 0
Box Score/Game Log

Masterful pitching from both RHP Manuel Moreno (5.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 R, 1 W) and RHP Josue Toledo (4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 R, 1 SV) greatly helped secure the Brewers Blue victory. Moreno has allowed a mere two runs in 12.0 IP on his young season while also allowing a mere five pokes (five walks). He continues to be a young arm to monitor. On the DSL Brewers Gold side of things, RHP Saul Sanchez pops with his 1 1/3 IP of 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K scoreless work. 17-year-old Panamanian Gustavo Garcia also put in solid work with his 4.0 IP of 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 ER ball. In a game where both offenses combined for a mere four hits, I can't help but ask: where are the headliners in this 2025 International Class? Will they please stand up? It is very very fair to point out the first two weeks have not been kind to OF's Kenny Fenelon (0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K - 0.194 BA/0.623 OPS)  and Brailyn Antunez (0-for-4, 3 K - 0.140 BA/0.461 OPS) and SS Cristopher Acosta (0-for-4, 1K - 0.122 BA/0.395 OPS). My eyes continue to notice SS Leonard Rijo and C Johanderson Tarazona (when he gets his platoon time) on a near daily basis, however. It's very early, yes. And, yet, I am compelled to share these observations. 

With the victory, the DSL Brewers Blue improved to 5-6 on their season. With the loss, the DSL Brewers Gold fell to 4-7 overall. 

We are back to a four-game all evening slate tomorrow for the second consecutive week. The ACL Brewers and the DSL Brewers will be back on the diamond Thursday. We see RHP Bryce Meccage taking the bump for Carolina. We see RHP Stiven Cruz facing a mighty test at West Michigan. And, we are still 'TBD' in Nashville and Biloxi at the time of this publishing (though, I would suspect LHP Bruce Zimmerman, at least, will be taking the bump for the Sounds).

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

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