Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/1): Hicklen, Rodriguez and Barrios lead Affiliates to 5-Win Monday

Transactions:

• 1B Tyler Black optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers (making room for OF Garrett Mitchell, whose injury rehab concluded)
• INF Owen Miller (who has been playing for AAA Nashville) designated for assignment
• LHP Anfernny Reyes reinstated from Low-A Carolina’s 7-day injured list
• INF/OF Noah Campbell promoted to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi
• RHP Will Childers promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin
• C Andy Yerzy assigned to Development List by AAA Nashville
• LHP Justin King released by AA Biloxi

It’s uncharacteristic of the Brewers to release a flame-throwing 26-year old from AA ball who has 4.5 years of minor league control remaining (Justin King in this instance), but @Cambo888 in the transaction forum assured us that King is healthy and ready for his next opportunity. We can only wish Justin luck and chalk this up to the stateside 165-player minor league roster limit, whose crunch is being felt in light of the MLB Draft this month.

Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 6, Memphis 1
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 Dominate Redbirds in Opener

RHP Evan McKendry was back in excellent form (5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 Ks) and the travelling Sounds’ offense (7th road game in 7 days) woke up by the 5th inning to grab the lead and pull away for the series-opening victory.

1B Tyler Black was raring to go in his return to AAA ball, singling and stealing a base to start the game, ultimately reaching base 4 times in 5 trips (2-for-3, walk, HBP, RBI, SB, run scored). His RBI single gave the Sounds their first lead at 2-1 in the top of the 6th inning, with SS Vinny Capra following with a 3-run double for a 5-1 advantage.

Eight Nashville hitters cranked out their 13 hits, including multi-hit days for right fielder Brewer Hicklen (3-for-5, 14th homer of the year to tie the game 1-1, RBI, 25th stolen base of 2024), Black, 2B Yonny Hernandez (2nd homer of 2024) and C Brian Navarreto.

Sounds’ Extras:

• Per the game story, credit the fabulous bullpen work of RHPs Janson Junk, Harold Chirino and Ryan Middendorf: combined 3 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 Ks.
• Black did drop a ball at first base to open the bottom of the 5th inning when the game was still tied 1-1, but Navarreto gunned down the baserunner on a steal attempt.
• Center fielder Joey Wiemer continues to try to work through the new swing (pop out, ground out, 108.3mph line out, K, ground out).

Tuesday’s outlook: 31-year old RHP Taylor Clarke needs to bounce back from a shellacking five days ago (8 runs in 4 1/3 IP), as Nashville seeks to double their series lead to 2-0.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 7, Mississippi 5
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Rodriguez's Four-Hit Night Leads Biloxi to Win in Opener against M-Braves

The relentless Shuckers came back from 2-0 (1st inning) and 5-4 (6th inning) deficits, pounding out 14 hits to grab the win in front of 1,573 fans in rare Monday action.

Enjoy these video highlights from WLOX:

LHP Adam Seminaris got the spot start (2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks), giving the team’s principal innings eaters an extra day of rest amidst 12 games in 12 days, but the Braves grabbed the early 2-0 lead with 2 outs in the first inning.

Doubles were the name of the game for the Shuckers’ offense, collecting four within the first 3 innings by center fielder Carlos D. Rodriguez, 1B Zavier Warren, DH Ernesto Martinez and left fielder Lamar Sparks to grab a 4-2 advantage.

After RHP Bo Bowman conceded 3 runs on 2 homers to give back the lead, Rodriguez started the rally with another double to lead off the bottom of the 6th inning, scoring on 3B Brock Wilken’s RBI single before Warren drove in Wilken (2-for-4, walk) and C Darrien Miller (1-for-3, 2 walks) for the 7-5 lead.

WXXV 25 was also at the game:

And there are even more highlights at the Shuckers Twitter account.

Shuckers’ Extras:

• The 23-year old Rodriguez, playing his 177th game for AA Biloxi, further cemented his case for a promotion to AAA Nashville with 2 doubles in a 4-for-5 effort.
• The bullpen really came through, with LHP Russell Smith and RHPs Sam Carlson, Justin Yeager and Craig Yoho combining on 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Carlson got 2 outs (K, force out) to strand 2 runners inherited from Bowman in the 4th inning and Yeager covered 2 neat innings after rare blow-ups in his last 2 appearances.

Tuesday’s outlook: 23-year old RHP Bradley Blalock (5.06 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 7.4 K/9 in 53 1/3 IP) is scheduled to start Game Two of the series for Biloxi.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Wisconsin 11, Beloit 1
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Everything Clicks in Wisconsin’s 11-1 Win at Beloit

From the game story, you know this was total domination: “Hitters crack sixteen hits as pitchers take no-hitter into the eighth”.

Seven Wisconsin hitters really boosted their stats, with SS Gregory Barrios collecting 4 singles, DH Matt Wood 3 singles and each of 1B Tayden Hall, C Ramon Rodriguez and right fielder Eduarqui Fernandez 2…you guessed it…singles.

Yes, 15 of the Rattlers’ 16 hits were singles, but it was 3B Luke Adams (4 RBIs) who annihilated a baseball on a 3-run homer to blow the game open at 5-0 by the 3rd inning. Per @wiguy94 in our minor league daily game forum: “108 EV, 414ft HR to LF”.

RHP Patricio Aquino didn’t enter the game until the 4th inning and was handed a 5-0 lead, but was still credited with the Win for his 6 superb innings: 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 Ks.

Timber Rattlers’ Extras:

• It may not all be roses, as it’s unclear why starting LHP Mark Manfredi lasted only 1 2/3 scoreless innings (0 R, 0 H, 3 BB, 2 Ks), exiting after 43 pitches. Is the team expecting him to pitch again on Saturday or was there an injury concern? To be determined…
• RHP Tyler Wehrle wasn’t fazed by entering in the 2nd inning, retiring all 4 batters he faced, including 2 via strikeout.

Tuesday’s outlook: 23-year old LHP Tate Kuehner looks to continue the 8-game run he’s been on (1.62 ERA with 46 Ks over his last 39 IP), as Wisconsin also seeks a 2-0 series lead.

Final: Down East 3, Carolina 2 (in 11 innings)
Box Score and Game Log

Starting 18-year old RHP Manuel Rodriguez settled in after conceding two runs on a homer and two doubles early, ultimately covering his now-customary 6 innings: 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 Ks. Settled in? The young man retired 13 batters in a row to conclude his outing, exiting still down 2-0 at that point.

SS Cooper Pratt extended his on-base streak to 35 games with a 1st inning walk, reaching base 3 times in the game (1-for-2, 2 walks, RBI, 2 SB), while right fielder Reece Walling reached via a double and single (2-for-5, RBI), but the team needed one more bat to come through on a frustrating day.

Walling led off the 2nd inning with a double, but was stranded, then led off the 7th inning with a single and scored on a ground ball out, but C David Garcia was thrown out trying to get to 3rd base to end that inning still down 2-1.

Back-to-back walks to open the 8th inning allowed Pratt to come through with a sacrifice fly to tie it, but the Mudcats last hit of the game was actually Walling’s in the 7th inning.

Mudcats’ Extras:

• RHPs Dikember Sanchez and Morris Austin were both solid in relief, not yielding any earned runs: 4 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 1 K. Down East’s walk-off win came when Austin attempted a 3rd inning of work: walk, game-winning single.
• The good guys had two runners aboard in each of the 10th and 11th innings (walks by 3B Miguel Briceno and Pratt), but the team went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Ouch!

Tuesday’s outlook: 19-year old RHP Daniel Corniel (4.40 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 9.1 K/9 in 57 1/3 IP) gets the start, as Carolina aims to even this week’s series 1-1.

Final: ACL White Sox 10, ACL Brewers 6 (in 7 innings as scheduled)
Box Score and Game Log

Hey, if you remove the 1st inning, the Arizona Crew actually won this game 6-4. Instead, they drop to 17-25 on the season, with starting 18-year old RHP Ismael Yanez conceding a grand slam, solo homer and walking in a run in that 1st inning. …and he also hit 2 batters. Oh my.

In the 2nd frame, 19-year old LHP Anthony Flores completed the rare 4-strikeout inning feat, ultimately producing this line: 3 2/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 4 BB, 7 Ks.

The game was 10-2 by the 5th inning before the ACL Brewers pushed across 4 runs for a more respectable final score. They’d gotten it to 10-6 with 2-on and 2-out in the bottom of the 6th inning before an inning-ending ground out.

As is often the case, 3B Eric Bitonti, C Edgardo Ordonez and 2B Josh Adamczewski powered the offense, combining on a 4-for-9 day with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored. SS Tyler Rodriguez also went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and run scored, while 1B Johan Barrios collected 2 singles and a run scored.

22-year old RHP Samuel Valerio threw 2 wild pitches, but settled down to retire 7 of 8 batters faced in a solid performance in the later innings: 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks.

Final: DSL Brewers Uno 5, DSL Pirates Black 0 (in 7 innings as scheduled)
Box Score and Game Log

Despite the shortened game, 8 of 9 Uno batters reached base via hit or walk, with the team also going 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts to improve its season record to 13-8.

Utility man Juan Ortuno (playing left field this game) led the way with 2 singles, an RBI and 2 stolen bases, while 1B Joandrew Pena hit his second career homer – a 2-run shot to push the lead to 5-0 by the 4th inning. SS Luis Pena (1-for-3, SB, run scored) now has 23 stolen bases in 19 games played.

Starting 18-year RHP Gabriel Colmenarez made his second start of 2024 after commencing the season on the injured list, retiring all 7 batters faced (1 reached via error), although none were by strikeout.

RHPs Ayendy Bravo and Ranwell Smith followed with 5 more scoreless innings, together striking out 8, at which point we have to unfortunately wonder if the opposition was substandard (Pirates Black is 6-14 on the season). We’ll likely know more tomorrow, when the two teams square off again.

Game One Final: DSL Brewers Dos 2, DSL Cubs Blue 1 (in 7 innings as scheduled)
Box Score and Game Log

Game Two Final: DSL Cubs Blue 4, DSL Brewers Dos 0 (in 7 innings as scheduled)
Box Score and Game Log

6’5”, 17-year old starting RHP Paul Hoff from Germany was the story of the opening game, retiring 15 of 16 batters faced over 5 scoreless innings: 0 R, 1 H (a single), 0 BB, 0 HBP, 6 Ks.

Despite the dominance, it was still a tight game, with 2B Kevin Ereu singling, stealing second base and scoring on a sacrifice fly in the 4th inning, then right fielder Frandy Lafond reaching via infield single, stealing second base and scoring on a 3B Roderick Flores single in the 6th inning. 1B Frederi Montero reached base 3 times: 2 singles, 1 walk.

While the Cubs had zero chances with runners in scoring position, Equipo Dos went 1-for-10 in that department, which nearly cost them when the Cubs homered with 2 outs in the final inning, but RHP Johan Zapata got a fly out to end the game and earn his second save.

In the second game, the team went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position although the Cubs weren’t much better (2-for-10). 18-year old RHP Wandy Cabrera made his first start in his fifth career outing, conceding one earned run (2 runs in total) on 3 singles and 3 walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Offensively, 2B Moises Polanco and C Yoneiker Lugo were the bright spots of the second game, with Polanco doubling and walking while Lugo collected 2 singles. Down 4-0 by the 5th inning, the team loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom half of the frame, but were retired via infield fly, force out to the pitcher and a fly out.

SS Jorge Quintana got the $1.7 million signing bonus in January 2024, but struggled on this day: 0-for-8 with 3 strikeouts and one caught stealing.

DSL Dos (12-9) host DSL Pirates Gold (14-6) tomorrow.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. It’s back to the “usual” set of seven minor league games on Tuesday.

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